Travelling to the Schengen after October 12: Here’s what you need to know

After October 12 2025, all third-country nationals, including UK citizens, travelling to the Schengen area may need to arrive at the airport much earlier. The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) will change the requirements for travel to the 29 countries comprising the Schengen area. The system is expected to be fully implemented by 10 April 2026.

The EES is a digital border system, replacing the manual passport stamps, which will register biometric details, fingerprints, and facial image, along with passport details on the first journey. Under-12s are not required to provide fingerprints. For most, the first journey will be the slowest since it involves the full biometric capture. The data will then be stored for three years, making successive travels quicker. In addition to biometrics, travellers will be asked to provide details on purpose of travel, proof of funds to cover entire trip, proof of accommodation, and round-trip tickets. EES has no registration cost.

All non-EU nationals travelling for short stays will be entered into an automated IT system, regardless of whether or not they require a visa for short stays in the Schengen area. Under EES, non-EU travellers from visa-exempt countries like the UK won’t need to apply for short-stay visas. The EES is not applicable to citizens of EU countries, Ireland, Cyprus, and non-EU nationals who hold a residence card and are immediately related to an EU national (the full list of exempted people can be found here).

For UK travellers, the EES checks will happen at different points of travel depending on the mode of transport

Students travelling for short-term study placements, research trips, and internships under 90 days will use the EES system like any other visitor. Longer stays requiring long-stay visas, including study abroad year programs, are exempt from the EES system.

For UK travellers, the EES checks will happen at different points of travel depending on the mode of transport. Most travellers will register on self-service kiosks present in the stations or airports. For UK travellers leaving from St Pancras International (Eurostar), Folkestone (Eurotunnel) and the Port of Dover (ferry), the EES will take place before departure, whereas those travelling by air and other ports will have their EES checks upon arrival in the Schengen country.

Member states of the Schengen will be rolling out the EES systems gradually, so travellers will either be greeted by manual passport stamping or the EES kiosks until full implementation. Three countries will be fully prepared for EES from day one: Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, and Estonia.

The EES is believed to make border checks more efficient and quicker in the long run, by replacing manual checks with self-service options. The digital system aims to improving border security by allowing authorities access to important traveller information to help identify security risks and curb crime. It will help track travellers, and prevent people from overstaying and misusing visa-free allowances. Many people have expressed concerns over data privacy, but the EU has assured that the EES’s data collection is strictly governed by EU data protection regulations and limits on access. They will not track personal information and details including daily activities and movements within the EU.

Initially, one should prepare by arriving at the airport early, keeping documents handy, and anticipating longer wait times for popular winter holiday destinations like Spain, Malta, and the Canary Islands

Some UK travellers believe the system is retribution for Brexit, but while EES applies to all non-EU countries and was planned before Brexit (with Britain as a planning member), it does make the previously invisible borders clearer now.

Many travellers have confused the EES with the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), which will be rolled out in 2026. The ETIAS will require visa-exempt travellers to authorise their journey online prior to their travel, similar to the US’ ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) and the UK’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) system. The authorisation will charge a fee of around €20 and will be valid for three years.

If the system is implemented efficiently, it will lead to quicker and safer travel. Initially, one should prepare by arriving at the airport early, keeping documents handy, and anticipating longer wait times for popular winter holiday destinations like Spain, Malta, and the Canary Islands. In instances of heavy queue build-up, reports suggest that checks might be reduced to one in 10 travellers based on decisions by local immigration officials.

The EES marks the EU’s move towards a fully digital and automated framework and a step towards stronger border security, but it’s also the end of an era of nostalgic border stamps for collectors.