Those who refuse biometrics will be denied entry. Biometric data of travelers will be stored centrally. This includes biometric data such as a photograph of the face, fingerprints, name and type of travel document, time and place of entry or exit from the EU territory.
The new rules are expected to increase security, control the enforcement of the rules of stay and simplify border control procedures. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of violations of stay periods and to share data between countries in real time.
The EES will work as follows: at the first crossing of the EU border it will be necessary to submit fingerprints and facial biometric data. On subsequent visits within three years, only a biometric facial scan will be sufficient. Fingerprints will not be required for children under 12 years of age.
Information in the electronic system will be stored for three years and automatically deleted, while information on violators of the terms of stay will be kept for five years. The system will operate in all 25 EU countries, except Cyprus and Ireland, which are not yet ready. And also in four non-EU Schengen states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
The implementation of the EES will take six months and will end on April 9, 2026. Until the end of the transition period, Schengen border authorities will continue to manually stamp travel documents. The launch of the system precedes another important change – the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). It is expected to be launched from the end of 2025.
ETIAS regulations will require non-EU travelers to pay a €20 fee and obtain prior authorization before visiting the Schengen area. The ETIAS authorization will primarily affect citizens of countries that have a visa-free travel agreement with the European Union. These are the USA, Canada and Latin America, Japan, Korea, Israel, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and many other countries.
ETIAS is not a visa, but a special permit or authorization that will be applied for online a few days before travel. The ETIAS will be applied for online and once approved, the authorization will be valid for three years, allowing multiple entries into the Schengen area. Each visit to the Schengen area under ETIAS will be limited to 90 days within a 180-day period.
