Starting November 10, the EU’s new Entry/Exit system (EES) will require that non-EU, visa-exempt travelers (like US travelers) go through a self-service kiosk where they will answer questions about their visit, scan their passport, give their fingerprints, and get their faces scanned. From there, they will move on to a border control agent who may or may not ask further questions and may or may not grant them entry.
Because all the information about entry and exit dates will be electronically recorded, border agents won’t stamp passports any longer — “unless exceptions apply,” says the official website of the European Union.
Note that travelers who refuse to have their face scanned and their fingerprints taken will be denied entry.
It’s unlikely that every single border in the Union will be equipped with self-service kiosks starting November 10, 2024, but they are coming and the days of the stamps are numbered.
The EES is meant to prevent criminals, and those using fake identities and passports from entering the Union. It will also prevent overstayers (those who stayed more than 90 days in a period of 180 days) from reentering.
Travelers who need to know how many days they have left on their 90-day allowance, can ask border agents upon entry or exit, use the equipment at their disposal at some of the border crossings, or calculate it themselves by using the European Commission online short-stay calculator. Soon, an EES online tool will allow travelers to check the number of days their are still allowed to stay on the territory of European countries much faster.
Upon the launch of the system in November, longer waiting times than normal at the borders are to be expected so arm yourselves with patience and don’t schedule a tight connection.
The new EES is not the only change that travelers to the European Union will have to deal with in the next few months: The ETIAS travel authorization is finally launching in the first part of 2025.
The long-awaited ETIAS travel authorization will be required from non-EU, visa-exempt travelers from 60 countries (including the US) to enter 30 European countries. ETIAS travel authorization will be valid for a period of three years or until the traveler’s passport expires.
Travelers will need to apply for their personal ETIAS online via the official ETIAS website or the official ETIAS mobile app, and pay a fee of €7 ($7.80), ahead of their travels. 