What to expect when the EU’s EES is fully implemented on April 10

The European Union has been gradually rolling out its new Entry/Exit System (EES) since October 2025. From April 10, 2026, it will be fully implemented at all entry points.

EES will apply at all EU ports from April 10

In July 2025, members of the European Parliament approved the bloc’s new Entry/Exit System (EES). In October 2025, the EES was implemented at some entry and exit points, and from April 10, it will apply at all points.

The EES requires non-EU citizens to log their passport details and biometric data when they initially enter any EU country, before proceeding to passport control. The European Parliament says the system has been adopted to make travel quicker and replace the passport stamp system for logging arrivals and departures.

The new system will also make it easier for border control police to determine whether a non-EU citizen has overstayed their 90-day limit within the Schengen zone during the 180-day period.

Using the EES “Travel to Europe” app

So what practical changes can passengers expect from April 10? Crucially, you do not need to do anything before you travel, but you can choose to complete your EES registration via the EU’s “Travel to Europe” app. However, it is currently only possible to register visits to Sweden and Portugal via the app.

Your registration window opens 72 hours before your journey begins. In the app, you will be asked to log your journey and travel plans and take a selfie to confirm your identity. You should receive a confirmation that your registration has been approved, which you can show at passport control.

In the near future, it will be possible to use the Travel to Europe app to complete EES registrations for other EU countries.

What to expect at the EES checkpoint

If you cannot or choose not to register via the app before you travel, the EES registration process happens when you physically arrive at an EU port, whether by plane, train or boat.

At the port, the registration process will differ depending on whether you have a biometric passport and how well-equipped your entry port is. If you have a biometric passport (which includes an electronic chip) and your entry port has a “self-service system”, you can complete registration at the self-service system.

The self-service system is an electronic booth or stand where you can digitally add information about your journey, take your picture and log your fingerprints. Once you have added this information, you can join the queue for passport control. The information you logged in the self-service system will be cross-referenced and assessed by a passport control officer, who will decide whether to grant you entry.

If you have a non-biometric passport or your entry point is not equipped with a self-service system, a passport control officer will complete your registration, including taking your photo and recording your fingerprints.

Each new EU country you enter will store this data in a file for three years. If you return to an EU country where you have already added your information to the system, officials will verify the details upon entry.

Who is exempt from EES registrations?

Crucially, if you are a non-EU national with a residence permit or long-term visa for an EU country, you do not have to complete an EES registration before travel or on arrival at an EU port.

So long as you have your passport and visa documents or residence permit with you when you travel, you won’t need to do anything else. Further groups are exempt from completing the EES registration; you can find a full list of exempt parties on the EU website.

How will the EES impact travel times?

While EU nationals and EU residence permit holders are exempt from EES registration, the full-scale implementation from April 10 will mean longer passport control wait times for everyone.

While we will not all be in the same physical or metaphorical boat, we will all be in the same long, literal queues.

If you are travelling in the EU, expect longer waiting times at passport control, especially if you are travelling via a major EU travel hub, such as Cologne or Amsterdam.

The EU expects queuing times to get shorter after an initial teething period. What’s more, airlines and other travel companies are currently negotiating with EU officials as to whether the EES could be suspended during the busy summer months. 

For now, everyone can expect to queue longer than before.