New European Entry and Exit System (EES) Comes into Effect
The new European Entry and Exit System (EES) will come into effect this Sunday, October 12, 2025, marking a major milestone in the management of the external borders of the Schengen area.
Key Features of the EES
- The system applies to all non-European travelers, including Tunisians, traveling to any of the member countries of the zone.
- Designed to accelerate border controls and strengthen security, the EES will gradually replace manual passport stamps with a digital record of entries and exits.
- The system will be deployed in 25 European Union countries, as well as in Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus will continue to use manual controls temporarily.
- The United Kingdom, Turkey, Serbia, and Albania are not affected by this new system.
Biometric Data and Automatic Registration
- No prior registration will be required from travelers.
- Upon their first entry into the Schengen area after the system's launch, authorities will collect their fingerprints (four fingers) and a digital facial photo.
- These data, stored in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), will facilitate border crossings via electronic kiosks.
- The system will be deployed gradually over six months before being fully operational on April 10, 2026.
Objectives of the EES
- The EES aims to replace manual stamping with an integrated digital database to track the legal duration of stays, prevent overstay for visa-free travelers, and strengthen security by detecting fraudulent identities or abuse of visa exemption regimes.
- This measure precedes the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), scheduled for the last quarter of 2026, after several postponements since its initial announcement in 2020.
