Overview

• From October 12, non‑EU short‑stay travelers will be enrolled with fingerprints and a facial photo on first entry, with refusal reported to risk denied entry.
• The rollout scales up through early 2026, with passport stamps continuing during the transition and ending when EES is fully live on April 10, 2026.
• UK travelers using Dover, Eurotunnel Folkestone, or London St Pancras will have enrollment completed at French border controls before departure.
• Children aged 12 and under are exempt from fingerprinting, and traveler records are retained for three years with access limited to immigration and law‑enforcement authorities.
• Authorities flag possible longer queues during initial adoption, with Estonia and Croatia activating at all entry points from day one and pilots starting at Madrid–Barajas and Düsseldorf airports elsewhere.