EES is now live: biometric checks replace passport stamps

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational at all Schengen external borders since 10 April 2026. Instead of a stamp in the passport, non-EU citizens are registered electronically: a facial photo and fingerprints are taken on the first crossing and the record is valid for three years.

This concerns travellers who are not EU citizens — including residents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania travelling on Russian, Ukrainian or other non-EU passports, and holders of the Estonian alien’s (grey) passport. EU-citizen passport holders are not registered.

Practical advice: allow extra time for the first crossing after 10 April 2026 — the initial registration takes a few minutes per person. Later crossings are faster, as only a quick biometric match is needed. The 90/180-day short-stay rule is now counted automatically, so overstays are detected immediately.