Overview

• The Entry/Exit System began on October 12 with some checks handled on the UK side at Dover, Eurotunnel Folkestone and London St Pancras before departure for the Schengen area.
• First‑time short‑stay visitors must have passports scanned plus fingerprints and a facial photo, with children under 12 exempt from fingerprinting and refusal of biometrics risking denial of entry.
• EES creates electronic records of entries, exits and refusals that are typically kept for about three years to spot overstays and reduce identity fraud.
• Authorities say each check should take one to two minutes, but travel groups warn of possible long waits during the initial period, and border officers can pause or scale checks to manage queues.
• Countries will ramp up from partial enrollment to full use by April 10, 2026, replacing passport stamping, with the separate ETIAS pre‑travel authorisation planned for 2026.