How the new border controls work

The new electronic information collection system relating to visitors travelling to a Schengen country or countries for a short stay who are not EU nor EEA nor Swiss nationals and who do not live in the EU. 

It launched in a six-month ‘phase-in’ period on Sunday October 12, 2025. It applies both to people who have a short-stay visa (required by some nationalities, such as Russians and Chinese people, for any visit) as well as those who are visa-exempt for a stay of 90/180 days, for example, Americans, Canadians, Britons etc. 

It is the nationality of the traveller that counts, not their point of travel departure LINK PAGE 12. The European Commission first proposed the scheme in 2013 but a series of technical issues caused postponements. 

The system is deployed at Schengen entry and exit points (this does not include Ireland), but not on internal Schengen trips, such as between France and Spain. Any overstaying of the permitted 90/180 days will automatically be tracked and flagged up by an automated calculator integrated in the system as will any previously refused entry. 

After the initial six months of phasing in it will be possible to track your remaining days at the EU’s main EES site and at pre-registration kiosks at some entry points. The online tool will say if your intended entry is ‘OK’ or ‘not OK’ and how many days you will be able to stay. 

You will need your passport and the three-letter code from it of the country that issued it (eg. CAN for Canada or GBR for the UK). 

EES will collect and store: 

• All the data from your passport (full name, date of birth etc)

• The date and place of each entry into or exit from the Schengen area

• A facial image and, apart from short stay visa holders who will already have provided them, a scan of the fingerprints of the right hand

There will be no new physical documents to provide and no fee. EES will apply to people of all ages, including babies, although under-12s will not have their fingerprints taken. 

Once a person is entered in the system, their details will be kept for at least three years which should make future visits faster. The EU says that EES will modernise its borders as well as enhance security and the monitoring of who is in the zone.

When is the system expected to fully be in place?

Launch and ‘phasing in’ the system started on October 12. 

After an agreement to allow a ‘phased start’, all countries reported being ‘ready’. The ‘phased start’ allows a six-month gradual launch with not all border points and/or passengers initially affected. 

France will gradually introduce EES at border checkpoints with full implementation expected by April 10, 2026.

The ‘phase-in’ period required a new regulation to be passed by the EU’s council and parliament, which was completed in 2025 despite some experts casting doubt on this being possible. 

As launch day arrived, it was expected that the system would begin for at least some eligible passengers at the ports of Dover (going to France) and Calais (going to England) for some Eurostar and Eurotunnel users and for some passengers at all French airports LINK PAGE 5. 

All eligible people travelling into France from a non-Schengen country or who are leaving France/Schengen to go to a non Schengen country must therefore be prepared and expect border formalities to take longer. The advice is to arrive in good time and not be surprised if asked to have a facial image and fingerprint scan.

SEE PAGE 5 about questions that travellers may be asked and for documents it is preferable to have to hand, such as Ghic/ Ehic card (or other travel health insurance), hotel booking, French-home utility or property tax bill or an email/ letter from a host inviting you to stay. Note, though, that it is not certain that you will be asked to show any of these.