Over the past few years, the European Union has been working to modernize and digitize across all of its systems, with an emphasis on those surrounding border controls and security. To that end, the European Commission has proposed and introduced several new systems to facilitate these improved security and border control measures.

New Electronic Entry/Exit System

As the European Commission works to put into place stronger and smarter borders throughout the European Union, a new Entry/Exit System ("EES") has been proposed and will go into effect September 2022. This system will modernize and enhance external border management in order to aid Member States as they see an increase in visitors to the EU without requiring a corresponding increase in the number of border guards. By digitizing the recorded entries and exits of travelers, the EES will allow Member States to systematically and easily identify third-country nationals who over-stay their visas while simultaneously improving both the quality and efficiency of the Schengen area border control.

The EES will be an automated system that registers third-country travelers each time they cross an EU external border. The system will apply to both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt travelers. The data collected will all be done with full respect toward individuals' fundamental rights of privacy and data protection and will collect and register the individual's name, type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and facial images), and the date and place of entry/exit. The EES will also record any time a third-country national is refused entry on any grounds.

This system is intended to replace the current system of passport stamping, which fails to regularly recognize travelers who have exceeded the maximum allowed duration of stay and does not provide accurate border crossing data. The EES will help protect the security of European citizens while also allowing permitted third-country nationals to more easily travel within the European Union by instituting more automated border control checks and self-service systems.

Digitalization of the Schengen Visa

In April 2022, the European Commission put forth a proposal to move the Schengen visa process to an entirely digitalized system, allowing for an improved, streamlined, and more secure method of application. This system would allow applicants to submit their Schengen visa applications through a centralized European online visa platform and would replace the current paper visa sticker with a digital visa.

Once in effect, the system would eliminate the need for visa applicants to travel to the Consulate of the country that they intend to visit—both to attend an appointment to submit their application materials and return later to collect their passports. A digitalized system will make the process both easier for applicants and processing countries as well as providing a more secure visa by instituting the following:

  • The ability of applicants to apply and pay the visa fee via a single European Union platform regardless of the Schengen country to be visited;
  • A determination of the competent processing country by the online system, particularly when the applicant is applying to visit multiple countries;
  • A consolidated location to find up-to-date information on Schengen short-stay visas, including information regarding the requirements, procedures, and necessary documents; and
  • State-of-the-art digital security features built into every newly issued visa.

With this new system in place, applicants would only need to present themselves in person in order to provide biometrics (for first-time applicants and those whose biometrics have expired after their five-year validity). These appointments will be carried out at both Consulates and competent Visa Application Centers, allowing for more options and less of a burden on applicants.

Now that this system has been proposed, the European Parliament and European Council will take time to discuss and vote on implementation. Depending on the speed and outcome of negotiations between legislators, the online platform could start as early as 2024 and become fully operational by 2026. Assuming a five-year transition period, it could be that all Member States in the Schengen area have fully switched over visa applications to the digital platform by 2031.

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