EES - what will change with EU accession

This fall, entry into the European Union will become more difficult for non-EU citizens. A new Entry/Exit System (EES) will come into force in October 2024. It is part of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is due to be introduced next year. Citizens from outside the EU will have to apply for and pay for a travel authorization before entering a Schengen country.

The EU's new EES system will collect additional information on non-EU citizens entering EU countries. In addition to passport data, automatic barriers at borders will collect and store biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images. No passport entries will be made. Instead, the system will automatically record every entry and exit of EU citizens. This will make it easier to identify those who have exceeded the prescribed period of stay in the EU. Non-EU citizens, including UK citizens after Brexit, will be able to stay in the EU for up to 90 days without a visa. The EES system does not apply to EU citizens or travelers between Schengen countries.

The ETIAS will be fully operational from 2025. Non-EU citizens will have to pay EUR 7 per person for most European countries. The visa will allow non-European citizens to stay in the EU and the Schengen area for 90 days. Once a visa is approved, travelers do not have to reapply for three years. Before traveling, travelers between the ages of 18 and 70 must complete an online application form and pay a fee of €7. A visa is not required to enter the Republic of Ireland as it is located in the free trade zone. This zone is an open border area that includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Although the exact date for the introduction of the ETIAS is still unclear, the EU has already indicated that it will be introduced five to six months after the introduction of the EES. There may be an implementation period where the system is phased in alongside the Entry/Exit System.

Non-EU citizens who are officially resident in an EU member state may not need to apply for the European Entry/Exit System (EES) or the European Travel and Entry Authorization Information System (ETIAS). If you have a biometric ID card, you are also exempt from the 90-day deadline.

EU countries are preparing to set up automatic barriers for EES checks. France will set up self-service checkpoints at airports where travelers can register their biometric data and personal information in advance. They will then present themselves to a border official for verification. Germany and Austria have confirmed that a similar system will be installed at their airports. For visitors arriving by car across France's land and sea borders, tablet devices will be available for data collection. Italy has announced plans to increase the number of automated checkpoints at all major airports and to install around 600 self-service checkpoints. Norway, for its part, will test "automatic cameras" operated by border officials.