Overview

• Manual passport stamping will give way to a digital record of entries, exits and refusals once the system is fully in place by April 10, 2026.
• Non‑EU nationals, including UK passport holders, will provide fingerprints and a facial image at external Schengen borders, with children under 12 exempt from fingerprinting.
• Activation will differ by country and crossing point, with limited checks starting Sunday in many locations and passport stamping continuing during the transition.
• Frontex’s Travel to Europe pre‑registration app is not broadly available at launch, with Sweden the only confirmed rollout for airline passengers.
• Officials and operators advise allowing extra time due to possible queues, with UK juxtaposed controls at Dover, Folkestone and London St Pancras registering travellers before departure.