Ees system operational from 10 April 2026: digital revolution in border controls for non-EU travellers

The entry into force was gradual: individual countries introduced the new system only with gradual percentages of incoming passengers. As of 10 April 2026, implementation is complete.

The EES applies to non-EU and non-Schengen citizens travelling to the Schengen area or to EU countries for short stays of up to 90 days in a period of 180 each year than for short holidays, business trips and cross-border travel within the Schengen area.

For example, British citizens, as well as visa-free travellers, regardless of whether they are travelling for tourism or business. It also applies to those who own property in the EU but do not have a residence permit.

All the information is recorded by the 25 EU Member States of the Shengen area (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden) as well as four countries outside the EU (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). while Ireland and Cyprus are excluded because they do not belong to the Shengen area and will continue to carry out manual passport checks.

Similarly, family members of EU citizens who hold a residence card issued by one of these countries are exempt. Also exempt are personnel on board trains and planes on international journeys, as well as military personnel and their family members engaged in Partnership for Peace or NATO missions.

Citizens of Andorra, San Marino, the Vatican City and Monaco will not have to undergo the EES.

In the first months of full EES operation, significant airport delays are likely to occur, despite EU promises to allow some flexibility to handle longer summer queues.

"Waiting times now regularly reach two hours at peak hours, and some airports report even longer queues," said the airport association ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe (A4E) in a joint statement (source in English).

One of the main reasons for the increased delays is that since 31 March, all passengers from third countries must be registered via EES. In the past, border authorities could suspend all or part of the EES procedures during peak traffic periods.

From 10 April this will no longer be possible.

Therefore, after 10 April, travellers will probably have to arrive at the airport an hour and a half to two hours earlier than usual, to take into account theEES-related delays.

However, these slowdowns are expected to ease in the medium term, once the EES procedures are more established.

In the meantime, airport and airline associations continue to ask the European Commission to allow the partial or total suspension of Ees at border controls when necessary throughout the 2026 summer season.

Biometric passports are not strictly necessary for the EES. They are only needed to use the self-service kiosks and to register and enter more quickly.

Those with a traditional passport must use manned counters for initial registration and provide a photo and fingerprints.

These data will be stored for three years, making subsequent checks significantly faster. Travellers who refuse to provide biometric data will be automatically rejected.

Children under the age of 12 do not have to provide fingerprints, but must still be photographed.

It is not necessary to register in advance for the EES, becauseregistration takes place at the border, upon arrival in the EU.