EU Rolls Out Biometric Entry/Exit System, Ending Passport Stamps

Overview

• The EU's Entry/Exit System, which took effect Friday, replaces passport stamps with a digital check for non‑Schengen travelers across 29 countries, excluding Ireland and Cyprus.
• Arriving passengers enroll fingerprints and a facial photo at self-service kiosks before seeing an immigration officer, and biometric‑passport holders can use the kiosks for registration.
• The database keeps records for up to three years or until passport expiry and shares the information with Schengen border and security agencies.
• Airlines recommend allowing about two extra hours for arrival processing after airport trials in October 2025 produced long queues, including waits of up to five hours in Lisbon.
• The European Commission’s Travel to Europe app lets travelers pre-register up to 72 hours and receive a QR code for kiosks, with acceptance now in Portugal and Sweden and wider rollout planned.