Overview
- The system, declared fully operational Friday, now runs at all Schengen external border crossings.
- It replaces passport stamps with a digital record that helps spot overstays and document fraud.
- On a first visit, officers capture a passport scan, a facial photo and fingerprints, then reuse the record for three years, with children under 12 exempt from fingerprinting.
- EU rollout data since October 2025 show about 52 million crossings logged, more than 27,000 refusals of entry, and nearly 700 people flagged as security threats.
- Airports advise arriving 1 to 1.5 hours earlier as processes settle, though Ukraine’s border service says passenger flows have not slowed after the phased start.