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Entry/Exit System (ees)

Travel to Europe

Travel Advice about the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)

The EU plans to introduce the Entry/Exit system (EES) in 2025 (date to be confirmed). This is a new digital border system that will change requirements for British nationals travelling to the EU/Schengen Area.

It is important to consider any additional steps which may be required to ensure you are ready for your holiday. We’ve put together some of the frequently asked questions we are being asked in relation to EES and the possible affect this may have to your holiday planning.

We recommend everyone with, or intending to make a booking with Mark Warner checks the UK Government’s advice for those travelling to the EU in 2025. For more information, please visit the EES Guidance on the UK Government website.

For flight and travel information about your forthcoming holiday, you can also visit our travel information section

What is the EES?

The EU will be introducing  the Entry/Exit System (EES) in 2025 (date to be confirmed), which is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals, both short-stay visa holders and visa exempt travellers, each time they cross a border in or out of the EU/Schengen area. 

The system will register the person's name, type of the travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit, in full respect of fundamental rights and data protection.


The new EES system will replace passport stamping. It aims to modernise and make border checks more efficient across the Schengen Area in the EU as well as reduce identity fraud and improve security within the EU.

Who does the EES apply to?

As the UK left the EU, all UK citizens are now considered as non-EU nationals. This means that if you are travelling to the EU/Schengen area for a short stay, the EES will apply to you, if either you:
  • Need a short-stay visa to travel to the European countries using the EES 
or
  • Do not need a visa to travel for a short stay in the European countries, using the EES
‘Short stay’ means up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This period is calculated as a single period for all the European countries using the EES.

Do children need to go through EES checks?

Children under 12 will not be required to provide fingerprints but they will need to have a facial scan taken. 


How does the EES work?

When the EES system is introduced, you will need to create a digital record on your first visit to the Schengen area at the port or airport on arrival. You will be required to provide your personal data, submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths.

You will not need to provide any information before travelling to an EU/ Schengen area country.
If you are flying to a country in the EU/Schengen area, you may experience longer queue times when you arrive at your destination.

How long does the digital record last?
Your digital record is valid for 3 years. If you enter the EU/Schengen area again during this time, you will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border, when you enter and exit.

Your fingerprints or the photo of your face will already be recorded in the EES. The passport control officers will only verify your fingerprints and photo, which will take less time. In rare cases, it may be necessary to collect and record your data again.

Which data are collected by the EES?

You will be required to provide your personal data each time you reach the external borders of the European countries / Schengen Area using the EES.

The EES collects, records and stores:
  • data listed in your travel document(s) (e.g. full name, date of birth, etc.)
  • date and place of each entry and exit
  • facial image and fingerprints (called ‘biometric data’)
  • whether you were refused entry.

Which countries are in the Schengen Area?

The countries in the Schengen Area are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.