Entry into Force of a New Border Security System

What is the Entry/Exit System?

The EES is an automated IT system designed to register non-EU nationals travelling for short stays each time they cross the external border of a European country using the EES.

What are the objectives of this system?

The EES has been established to strengthen and modernise border controls at the external borders of the European Union through secure and reliable electronic records (identification of individuals via biometrics – photographs and fingerprints – and the digitalisation of passport stamping).

It contributes to combating irregular migration and enhancing the internal security of the Schengen Area by preventing document fraud and identity theft through the use of biometric data, and by assisting law enforcement authorities in preventing, detecting, and investigating terrorist offences or other serious crimes (tracking entries, exits, and refusals of entry, as well as immediately detecting overstayers).
 

What data will be collected by the EES ?

• Personal data appearing on the travel document, such as full name, date of birth, and nationality;
• The date and place of each entry and exit within the 29 European countries using the EES;
• Biometric data such as facial image and/or fingerprints;
• Information on refusals of entry, where applicable.
   

Travellers’ data will be collected and stored in compliance with EU data protection rules and rights.

What will change for travellers?

The EES will apply to third-country nationals travelling for short stays (less than 3 months); residents will not be affected.

Their biographical, biometric, and travel document data will be recorded in a European database. Once a person has been registered in the EES for the first time, they will undergo biometric verification at each border crossing.

Manual passport stamping will be replaced by digital stamping, recording each entry, exit, or refusal of entry. Travellers will be able to consult a dedicated European website to check their remaining authorised stay duration.

Travellers subject to the EES may use pre-registration devices (depending on their airports of arrival and departure) before reaching the control booths to complete part of the formalities.

EU nationals will not be directly concerned by the EES, but may experience side effects if overall border fluidity decreases due to longer processing times for third-country nationals.

French and EU nationals who also hold the nationality of a third country should ensure that they use their French or European travel document when crossing Schengen borders to avoid unnecessary delays at checkpoints.