Overview

• Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas conducted the inaugural EES test on Sunday, registering 1,819 third‑country passengers under Police supervision.
• A six‑month transition keeps passport stamping in parallel as deployment expands from airports to land crossings and then maritime borders.
• The system applies to non‑EU travelers on short stays of up to 90 days in any 180, with exemptions for EU citizens, residents and long‑stay visas.
• Children under 12 are photographed but not fingerprinted, and refusal to provide required biometrics results in denial of entry.
• EU officials say data will be securely protected as Spain invests €83 million to adapt border posts; the EES precedes the planned ETIAS rollout expected in late 2026.