Overview
- The new Entry/Exit System, which went live Friday, replaces passport stamps with kiosks that capture fingerprints and a face photo for non‑EU visitors on short stays.
- It operates across 29 Schengen‑area countries and records each crossing in a shared database that retains data for three years unless the passport changes.
- EU figures show roughly 24,000 refusals of entry and more than 600 people flagged as security risks since the phased rollout began, pointing to tighter checks on fraud and overstays.
- Major airports such as Amsterdam and Paris have reported lines of up to two hours as the system beds in, and Portugal tackled early failures after pausing use in Lisbon to make fixes.
- Travelers can cut wait times by using self‑service kiosks and the EU’s Travel to Europe app, now available in Portugal and Sweden to pre‑upload passport and biometric data up to 72 hours before arrival.