Europe's border changed this year — but not in the way most travellers assume. One system is already running and affects every trip you take. The other does not exist yet, and people are already being charged for it.
EES — the biometric Entry/Exit System — has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. There is no passport stamp any more, and on your first crossing you give fingerprints and a photo.
ETIAS — the €20 travel authorisation — is not running, and has no official start date. If someone is selling it to you today, they are selling you nothing.
Until now, the only proof that you entered and left Europe was an ink stamp in your passport. The Entry/Exit System replaces it with a digital record: your name, passport details, biometric data, and the date and place of every entry and exit.
The rollout began on 12 October 2025 and the system became fully operational on 10 April 2026 across 29 European countries. It applies to non-EU nationals making short stays — including visa-exempt travellers from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Israel and dozens of other countries. Citizens of EU and Schengen-associated states are not subject to it.
First time: a full registration — a live facial image and four fingerprints, taken at a desk or a self-service kiosk. Expect it to take several minutes longer than you are used to.
Every time after that: considerably faster. Your record already exists, and the check runs against it.
During peak periods, countries are allowed to ease or pause checks temporarily to manage queues, so the experience is not identical at every airport. The practical rule: on your first crossing, budget an extra half hour — especially if you have a tight connection.
The rule itself has not changed: a maximum of 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries combined — not per country. What changed is enforcement.
Before EES, the count depended on ink stamps, and stamps were sometimes missed altogether. Now every entry and exit is logged automatically, and the system knows exactly how many days you have used and how many remain. If you visit Europe two or three times a year, this changes nothing for you. If you work remotely, own property in Europe, or travel for business often, do the arithmetic before you book.
ETIAS is a pre-travel online authorisation, similar in spirit to the American ESTA, that will apply to visa-exempt travellers entering 30 European countries. What is known:
A transition period is expected once it does launch. But until an official date exists, anyone promising you a precise timeline is guessing.
⚠️ Do not pay for ETIAS today
Dozens of official-looking websites sell an “ETIAS application” for €40–€80. The system is not open — no application can be submitted, so none can be bought. When it does open, applications will go through the official EU website or app for €20. Any site charging you now is charging for a service that does not exist.
EES itself is free — registration costs nothing. The real cost is time: a slower first crossing and longer queues at peak hours. Two practical conclusions follow. Do not plan a short connection through a European hub, and if the connection does break because of the airline, you have rights worth claiming.
One more thing worth saying plainly: EES is a border system, not insurance. It covers you for nothing abroad, and it is no substitute for travel insurance.
Let Wandeal do the work
Every live deal — flights, hotels, attractions, car rental, eSIM and more — in one place.
🎯 See live deals →