EES digital border checks: start date officially confirmed
Non-EU nationality visitors to France such as Britons and Americans will need to register in new system
New scheme is now set to be 'phased in' starting in the autumn
Shutterstock/Franck Poupart
The official website for the European Entry/Exit System has now been updated with the new launch date.
It “will start on October 12, 2025,” the website says. This confirms information previously given to The Connexion by inside sources.
Newly-created rules say that the checks may then be phased in over six months, with the EES website stating that full operation everywhere is now expected by April 10.
France could in theory operate EES “fully” from day one if it wished to do so, but is expected rather to take advantage of the new ‘phasing in’ rules.
It could mean, for example, small airports do not operate EES until later this year or early 2026 (see Connexion article linked above for more about the ‘phased start’ rules.
After six months, EES must be fully in place at all places where passengers arrive in, or leave, the Schengen area. This will include where French border checks happen in the UK, at St Pancras, Folkestone and Dover.
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Countries can start operating EES earlier at certain points than others, and/or gradually increase the number of passengers entered into EES. After one month, at least 10% of relevant crossings should be logged.
This relates to entries or exits by non-EU/non EES or Swiss national temporary visitors to the Schengen area.
EES registration will include providing passport details to create a database file and answering short quest-ions about travel plans. The date of entry/exit will be recorded.
A facial image and a right-hand fingerprint scan are needed but the ‘phased start’ rules say that EES can be run without them in the first 60 days.
After three months, EES should be fully in place at more than a third of border points.
Manual passport stamping will continue during phasing-in. Afterwards, EES will track the 90/180 days rule.
Six months after EES is fully in place, an online authorisation process to enter the Schengen area will also start, called Etias.
It will be needed by the same people, apart from those subject to full visa authorisation even for short visits. It is likely to involve a €20 fee – the price is under review. This fee has almost tripled from original plans.
Non-EU citizens with visas or residency cards are not affected by either but could get caught up in longer queues. Airports body UAF says the government is seeking a solution to allow nationals of many countries to continue to use e-gates where available.
The question of whether non-EU spouses/civil partners of EU citizens may use EU passport lanes, which are likely to be quicker passing passport control, also arises.
EU rules say they may do so when accompanying or joining a partner who is using EU free movement rights. If travelling alone, the non-EU citizen needs documents proving the relationship.
There is no reason for this to change.
Technically, however, a French person coming to France is not exercising such rights, so nor would their partner be, but French border guards treat them similarly nonetheless. The Connexion is seeking official confirmation that this will continue.
