Europe’s Entry/Exit System (EES) starts rolling out on October 12 2025, promising faster, smarter border checks for short-stay visitors.
But here’s the bit many travellers are missing: a long list of people won’t be captured by the system at all – and even where it does apply, the roll-out is gradual, with passport stamps continuing for months. If you’re wondering whether you’ll be asked for fingerprints and a face scan this autumn, read on.
Who the EES does not cover (and why you can relax)
First, citizens of the European countries using EES are out of scope. The same goes for Cyprus and Ireland nationals, even though those two aren’t deploying the system. If you’re a non-EU national with a residence card tied to an EU citizen, you’re also outside EES. Likewise, non-EU family members of certain non-EU nationals who enjoy EU-wide free-movement rights are excluded.
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If you hold a residence permit or a long-stay visa, EES isn’t aimed at you. Nor is it aimed at those travelling for intra-corporate transfers, research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchanges, educational projects or au-pair placements; those categories sit outside the system’s short-stay logic.
There are sovereignty carve-outs, too. Nationals of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, along with holders of passports issued by Vatican City/Holy See, are not subject to EES. People exempt from border checks or granted special privileges—think heads of state or certain cross-border workers—aren’t in scope either. Where local rules allow, travellers permitted to cross at places or times outside regular border posts remain outside the system.
Some exclusions are purely practical. Holders of local border traffic permits don’t fall under EES. Train crews on international services are out. And if you’re travelling with a Facilitated Rail Transit Document or Facilitated Transit Document, you’re exempt provided you stay on the train and don’t disembark inside an EU Member State.
EES timeline: what a ‘progressive start’ really means
EES won’t switch on everywhere at once. Over a six-month window from October 12 2025 to April 9, 2026, the 29 participating European countries will phase in the different elements- most notably the biometrics (a facial image and fingerprints). That means you might pass through one external border where your details are taken and another where they are not—at least initially. During this period, passport stamps continue as usual. Only from April 10 2026 should you expect EES to be fully operational at all external crossing points used by the system.
In human terms, ‘progressive start’ means inconsistency by design: some airports and ferry ports will capture data on day one; others will join later; a few will switch on parts of the process before the rest. Don’t be surprised if two trips a fortnight apart feel different at the booth.
Travelling soon? Here’s what to bring and what to expect
If you think you’re outside EES, travel like you can prove it. Carry the documents that show your status—your residence card or permit, evidence of your family link where relevant, or the papers tied to your study, research or intra-company transfer. If you benefit from local border traffic arrangements, have that permit handy. Train crews and passengers using facilitated transit documents should keep them ready for inspection.
Because the roll-out is staggered, allow extra time at busy external borders—especially when your route is switching from stamping to biometric capture. If the officer stamps your passport, that doesn’t mean anything has gone wrong; it simply reflects where that crossing sits in the implementation schedule. Conversely, if you’re asked for a photo and fingerprints, that’s the system bedding in, not a sign of trouble.
The headline, then, is simple: EES begins in October, but it won’t touch everyone – and it won’t look the same everywhere until April 2026. If you’re an EU national, a resident with the right card, a long-stay visa holder, a micro-state national, a privileged traveller or covered by specific rail or local border regimes, EES isn’t aimed at you. For everyone else, the new checks are coming – but gently, and with stamps still doing the heavy lifting while Europe turns the key.
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