The 29 Schengen Agreement member countries of the European Union (EU) will begin the phased introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES) from October 12.
The system electronically records entry and exit information and applies to short-stay travelers from non-EU countries, including Japan. It will be rolled out over approximately six months, through April 10, 2026. Those with long-stay visas or residence permits are excluded.
It will record passport information, biometric data such as face photos and fingerprints, the dates, times, and locations of entry and exit, and any past entry refusals. It will replace traditional passport stamps, speeding up border checks and enabling the use of self-service kiosks.
The countries covered are Iceland, Italy, Estonia, Austria, the Netherlands, Greece, Croatia, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Finland, France, Bulgaria, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Romania—29 countries.
In addition, the EU plans to begin introducing the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in the fourth quarter of 2026, which will require travelers to obtain pre-travel authorization. The system is similar to the United States’ ESTA and the United Kingdom’s ETA. The application fee will be 20 euros, and the authorization will be valid for three years.
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