EU biometric borders live

Europe’s new Entry/Exit System is now live at every external Schengen border, replacing passport stamps for most short-stay visitors from outside the European Union. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) The system became fully operational on April 10, 2026, after a phased rollout that began on October 12, 2025. It now covers 29 countries in the Schengen area, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Norway and Switzerland. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) (travelaware.campaign.gov.uk) For first-time registration, border officers collect a traveler’s name, travel document details, fingerprints and a facial image, then create a digital record tied to each entry and exit. The system also logs refusals of entry. (consilium.europa.eu) (travel-europe.europa.eu) The Entry/Exit System applies to non-European Union nationals entering for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, whether they need a visa or not. It does not apply to European Union citizens, Schengen nationals, most long-stay visa holders or residence permit holders. (consilium.europa.eu) (diplomatie.gouv.fr) The practical change for travelers is simple: a passport stamp is no longer the main record of a border crossing. The database now calculates how long a visitor has stayed and can automatically flag overstays across the whole Schengen area. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) (consilium.europa.eu) European Union officials say the system is meant to tighten border checks, spot forged documents and identify people who stay past the 90-day limit. The European Commission says it also supports wider use of automated gates and self-service systems at airports and other crossings. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) Travelers do not need to file anything in advance for Entry/Exit System registration, but first-time processing can add time at airports, seaports and land borders. The United Kingdom government has warned British passport holders to expect longer waits, and said kiosks or dedicated processing areas are already in use at London St Pancras, Folkestone and Dover. (diplomatie.gouv.fr) (travelaware.campaign.gov.uk) The project has been in the works for a decade. The European Commission proposed it on April 6, 2016, the law was adopted in November 2017, and a July 2025 regulation allowed the six-month progressive launch before full activation this month. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) The data do not disappear when a trip ends. Under the European Union rules, most Entry/Exit System records are stored for three years after the exit record, and longer retention can apply in overstay cases. (legislation.gov.uk) (bundespolizei.de) This is also only the first half of the bloc’s border overhaul. France’s foreign ministry says the separate European Travel Information and Authorisation System, an online travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors, is due in the last quarter of 2026. (diplomatie.gouv.fr)