The European Union's (EU) newly promulgated Entry/Exit System (EES) isclosely linked to the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) (see Pryor Cashman Alert on ETIAS dated October 16, 2024). Both of these new systems will impact most non-EU citizens, including US Citizens and British nationals, traveling to the EU for short stays. A 'short stay' is defined as up to 90 days within any 180-day calendar period.For EES purposes, 'non-EU national' means a traveler who does not hold the nationality of any European Union country or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. EES was to take effect on November 10, 2024, however the EU has since announced that there will be a delay of the program due to difficulty in implementation.
EES is an automated electronic system which registers non-EU nationals, including US citizens and British nationals, traveling throughout Europe for short stays, each time they cross the external borders of any of the following European countries using the system:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
The system applies if you are a non-EU national, including US citizen and British national, whether you are visa exempt or need a short-stay visa to travel to the European countries listed above using the EES. Entries and exits, or entry refusals will be electronically registered in the EES. Note that in Cyprus and Ireland, despite being countries of the European Union, passports will still be stamped manually.
The EES has the following goals:
- Modernizing the management of the EU's external borders
- Identifying overstayers and providing reliable data on entries, exits, and refusals of entry
- Effectively combating identity fraud by collecting biometric data.
- Strengthening EU Security by using improved border checks, updated electronic records and biometric data.
- Promoting real-time information sharing, ensuring that border authorities across the EU have the right information at the right time.
When you arrive at one of the above listed countries' border crossing point for the first time, you will be asked to provide your personal biographic data and Passport Control officers will scan your fingerprints and/or take a photo of your face. All your information will be recorded in a digital file and your passport (whether biometric or not) will not be stamped. Note that there are ways to speed up your first time entry under EES by taking certain steps in advance. At time of arrival you can use the dedicated equipment ("self-service system"), if it is available at your border crossing point and/or a mobile application - if one is made available by the country of arrival or departure. Notwithstanding these advance steps, you will need to be seen and admitted by a Passport Control Officer.
After your first time entry using the EES, your fingerprints and/or the photo of your face will already be recorded in the EES. As such, Passport Control officers will only verify your fingerprints and photo, which will take less time. Though in rare cases, the officer may need to collect and record your data again. For those holding biometric passports, entry will be quicker using the self-service system, where available. In those instances, if your digital file is clear of any impediments to travel, you will not need to meet a Passport Control officer to be admitted to the country.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
