Official confirmation: EES (electronic entry exit system) soft launches 12th Oct 2025
Feb 7, 2025 | 11:30 pm
#16
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EES refers to the computer system which Schengen border guards will be using to record your passport information, your movements across Schengen borders and your biometrics (when in effect). It is not something you apply for.
There is no REAL SOLID information, because the EU has not released any information, because the EU itself doesn't know when ETIAS will be ready.
There is no REAL SOLID information, because the EU has not released any information, because the EU itself doesn't know when ETIAS will be ready.
I will be traveling to several EU countries in April. US citizen holding US passport will be able to enter EU as before all these EES & ETIAS?
Feb 8, 2025 | 2:06 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 321
ETIAS will definitely not be in place before April. If EES is active it would just mean they collect biometrics on entry, it wouldn't require any sort of per-registration.
Feb 10, 2025 | 10:48 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2025
Posts: 2
The EES and therefore EITAS will never launch, especially now while EU's economy trouble with Trump custom's war with China, Canada and Mexico. Even in prosperous days of EU before 2020 pandemics EU politicians were too incompetent or corrupt to pull through that system to work. Now EU has more worrying questions about it's future than to bother to legally bind every EU and non EU citizen to EES, it's just too costly for EU economy at the moment and will do more harm than good.
The system probably won't start to work long before EU politicians and lobbyist pull through the projects of rare metals in Ukraine(for paying the debt of the western "aid") and Jadar Lithium in Serbia and Bosnia. When these realize, then maybe just maybe EES and EITAS will work, and even then it is a question. I'm from Serbia, and traveled 5 times last year with no problem whatsoever, and none bothered to asked me about EES or EITAS on border for past 5 years, I've learned about EITAS and EES last year when it was overhyped one day news.
The system probably won't start to work long before EU politicians and lobbyist pull through the projects of rare metals in Ukraine(for paying the debt of the western "aid") and Jadar Lithium in Serbia and Bosnia. When these realize, then maybe just maybe EES and EITAS will work, and even then it is a question. I'm from Serbia, and traveled 5 times last year with no problem whatsoever, and none bothered to asked me about EES or EITAS on border for past 5 years, I've learned about EITAS and EES last year when it was overhyped one day news.
Feb 10, 2025 | 2:19 pm
#19
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The EES and therefore EITAS will never launch, especially now while EU's economy trouble with Trump custom's war with China, Canada and Mexico. Even in prosperous days of EU before 2020 pandemics EU politicians were too incompetent or corrupt to pull through that system to work. Now EU has more worrying questions about it's future than to bother to legally bind every EU and non EU citizen to EES, it's just too costly for EU economy at the moment and will do more harm than good.
The system probably won't start to work long before EU politicians and lobbyist pull through the projects of rare metals in Ukraine(for paying the debt of the western "aid") and Jadar Lithium in Serbia and Bosnia. When these realize, then maybe just maybe EES and EITAS will work, and even then it is a question. I'm from Serbia, and traveled 5 times last year with no problem whatsoever, and none bothered to asked me about EES or EITAS on border for past 5 years, I've learned about EITAS and EES last year when it was overhyped one day news.
The system probably won't start to work long before EU politicians and lobbyist pull through the projects of rare metals in Ukraine(for paying the debt of the western "aid") and Jadar Lithium in Serbia and Bosnia. When these realize, then maybe just maybe EES and EITAS will work, and even then it is a question. I'm from Serbia, and traveled 5 times last year with no problem whatsoever, and none bothered to asked me about EES or EITAS on border for past 5 years, I've learned about EITAS and EES last year when it was overhyped one day news.
Most of what you write is complete nonense
But concentrating on EES and EITAS since it's not in place no one is going to ask you about it!
In any case EES will only record entry and exits and will be done by scanning your passport. You won't have to do anything other than scan your passport or hand it to an immigration officer who will do it as part of the entry system.
EITAS will be attached electroniclly to your passport after your application is approved. You'll only be asked for it if the attachment doesnt show in the immigration officers system.
Feb 12, 2025 | 10:11 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2025
Posts: 2
Most of what you write is complete nonense
In any case EES will only record entry and exits and will be done by scanning your passport. You won't have to do anything other than scan your passport or hand it to an immigration officer who will do it as part of the entry system.
EITAS will be attached electroniclly to your passport after your application is approved.
In any case EES will only record entry and exits and will be done by scanning your passport. You won't have to do anything other than scan your passport or hand it to an immigration officer who will do it as part of the entry system.
EITAS will be attached electroniclly to your passport after your application is approved.
So if they (EU politicians who are responsible for billing this proposal) announce that "it will run in april 2025 (for sure this time definitely 😁
" I wouldn't be surprised it will be pushed back even further.
Feb 12, 2025 | 8:37 pm
#22
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,965
Purely based on the logic of what you write (I completely fail to see any rational connection between EES/ETIAS, coal and fossil fuel, lithium, and so on) I now understand why you chose this nickname!
PS By the way, "political discussions" should be posted in the OMNI forum or a completely different chat room and definitely not in one dealing with... travel!
PS By the way, "political discussions" should be posted in the OMNI forum or a completely different chat room and definitely not in one dealing with... travel!
Last edited by KLouis; Feb 12, 2025 at 8:52 pm
Mar 9, 2025 | 6:32 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2021
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Now end of 2026 for ETIAS.
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/revi...-2025-03-07_en
My passport is running out of pages for EU stamps
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/revi...-2025-03-07_en
My passport is running out of pages for EU stamps
Mar 10, 2025 | 1:21 pm
#24
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Now end of 2026 for ETIAS.
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/revi...-2025-03-07_en
My passport is running out of pages for EU stamps
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/revi...-2025-03-07_en
My passport is running out of pages for EU stamps
Mar 12, 2025 | 2:15 am
#25
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Join Date: May 2024
Location: VIE
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When these realize, then maybe just maybe EES and EITAS will work, and even then it is a question. I'm from Serbia, and traveled 5 times last year with no problem whatsoever, and none bothered to asked me about EES or EITAS on border for past 5 years, I've learned about EITAS and EES last year when it was overhyped one day news.
The time will come when even a bus company travelling from Belgrade to Vienna will ask passengers requiring it for their ETIAS.
Mar 14, 2025 | 5:22 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+, BAC Bronze (until 2027)
Posts: 4,140
Nothing to worry about for a couple of years according to Sky:
British travellers won't have to pay for a visa to visit Europe until 2027 at the earliest.
That's because the EU's European entry/exit system (EES) has seemingly been pushed back yet again, causing another delay to the euro-visa (known officially as the Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS), which can only take effect six months after EES is put in place.
Once put in place, the ETIAS will require British passport holders to apply and pay for a three-year visa waiver to travel into the Schengen Area (remember that from Brexit?). The zone covers almost all of the EU (apart from Ireland and Cyprus) plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The EES was meant to fully launch on 10 November 2024 but was delayed when it became clear the tech wasn’t ready.
Now, ever-reliable travel expert Simon Calder has uncovered further developments in the saga.
He's revealed Brussels is proposing to roll out the EES gradually to give border authorities and the transport industry "more time to adjust to the new procedures".
It's hoped EES will be up and running by April 2026, with ETIAS following on a six-month voluntary basis from October 2026.
It all means Britons can expect to start paying for the euro-visa (priced at around 6) from April 2027 onwards.
That's because the EU's European entry/exit system (EES) has seemingly been pushed back yet again, causing another delay to the euro-visa (known officially as the Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS), which can only take effect six months after EES is put in place.
Once put in place, the ETIAS will require British passport holders to apply and pay for a three-year visa waiver to travel into the Schengen Area (remember that from Brexit?). The zone covers almost all of the EU (apart from Ireland and Cyprus) plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
The EES was meant to fully launch on 10 November 2024 but was delayed when it became clear the tech wasn’t ready.
Now, ever-reliable travel expert Simon Calder has uncovered further developments in the saga.
He's revealed Brussels is proposing to roll out the EES gradually to give border authorities and the transport industry "more time to adjust to the new procedures".
It's hoped EES will be up and running by April 2026, with ETIAS following on a six-month voluntary basis from October 2026.
It all means Britons can expect to start paying for the euro-visa (priced at around 6) from April 2027 onwards.
Jul 18, 2025 | 10:15 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2012
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From Sky:
From the end of 2026, a new visa-waiver process will apply to UK travellers visiting much of Europe - it is known as ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System).
New fee for Britons travelling to EU will cost 180% more than expected
A new charge for Britons hoping to visit EU countries from next year will now cost more than expected, with the price of travel authorisation rising from €7 (6) to €20 (17) - an increase of more than 180%.From the end of 2026, a new visa-waiver process will apply to UK travellers visiting much of Europe - it is known as ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System).
Aug 1, 2025 | 5:07 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
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From the BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8deq8qm504o
Stamps in people's passports will be replaced by biometric checks for people travelling in and out of the EU from 12 October, officials have confirmed.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace the current paper checks and will mean passengers from the UK will need to have their fingerprints and faces scanned to cross an EU border.
The scheme will be rolled out across member nations over six months, meaning it will not be fully implemented until 10 April 2026.
It was due to come into effect last November but has been beset by technological delays.
Under the new system, non-EU citizens, including people from the UK, will need to register their biometric data along with their passport details to enter an EU country.
Anyone who refuses to provide the biometric data will be denied entry into the EU.
Currently, travellers have to present their passport to a border official to be checked and stamped.
The data will be collected at the point of departure - either at an airport, port or train station - where there will be dedicated booths for scanning fingerprints and taking a photo.
This record will then be valid for three years and means on later trips border officers will only need to verify a person's biometrics, which the EU hopes will take less time. People with ePassports will also be able to use e-gates.
There is no cost for EES registration.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace the current paper checks and will mean passengers from the UK will need to have their fingerprints and faces scanned to cross an EU border.
The scheme will be rolled out across member nations over six months, meaning it will not be fully implemented until 10 April 2026.
It was due to come into effect last November but has been beset by technological delays.
Under the new system, non-EU citizens, including people from the UK, will need to register their biometric data along with their passport details to enter an EU country.
Anyone who refuses to provide the biometric data will be denied entry into the EU.
Currently, travellers have to present their passport to a border official to be checked and stamped.
The data will be collected at the point of departure - either at an airport, port or train station - where there will be dedicated booths for scanning fingerprints and taking a photo.
This record will then be valid for three years and means on later trips border officers will only need to verify a person's biometrics, which the EU hopes will take less time. People with ePassports will also be able to use e-gates.
There is no cost for EES registration.
Aug 1, 2025 | 10:40 am
#30
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I travel Europe extensively each year and see all the 'dead' EES machines at each airport I fly through. I wonder if the six month ramp up period for each country to join the EES is because they now have to power the machines up and likely apply years of updates to the software running on them. Then they have to all be tested again to see if they actually work. Every time I fly through a European airport and see the machines off to the side I think of the copious amount of work that will be required to get them running again.
I personally am going to miss passport stamps. For the time being, any country that phases in the rollout of EES will still be stamping passports but that will stop EU-wide by April 2026. Of course they've blown the date targets on rolling out EES several times so there's no guarantee it sticks this time either.
-RM
I personally am going to miss passport stamps. For the time being, any country that phases in the rollout of EES will still be stamping passports but that will stop EU-wide by April 2026. Of course they've blown the date targets on rolling out EES several times so there's no guarantee it sticks this time either.
-RM