EU Entry/Exit System Fully Operational at 29 Schengen Borders, Replacing Passport Stamps with Biometrics

The European Union's Entry/Exit System became fully operational in April 2026, replacing passport stamps with biometric data collection at external borders of the Schengen Area. Non-EU nationals must now provide fingerprints, a facial scan, and passport details upon entry and exit at checkpoints in 29 participating countries.

The system is managed by EU-LISA, the European Union agency responsible for the Entry/Exit System software.

All 29 countries using the system belong to the Schengen Area, which includes most EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Cyprus and Ireland remain the only EU members outside the Schengen Area. The Entry/Exit System does not alter visa requirements or permitted lengths of stay.

Julian Kheel, CEO and founder of Points Path, said the change records movements but leaves existing rules unchanged. 5 hours during peak periods. Agata Lyznik, spokesperson for the Airports Council International, said those waits were not observed last summer before the system launched.

Spain implemented the system on April 10, 2026. The Spanish Ministry of Interior reported positive results and no significant incidents at Spanish airports since that date. Most delays have been linked to self-service kiosks.

Kiosks have gone out of order from excess dust and grease collected during fingerprint scans, and routine cleaning between passengers has been infrequent, according to Lyznik. Some travelers register directly with a border agent instead of using kiosks. Initial registration times vary by traveler circumstances and border procedures, EU-LISA stated.

Kheel noted that first-time registration and technical issues account for most bottlenecks, while subsequent entries and exits move faster once data is stored. Kheel added that he needed several attempts to record fingerprints at a kiosk and that the process exceeded the one-minute estimate provided by authorities.

The app "Travel to Europe" allows pre-registration but is limited to travelers entering Sweden and Portugal.

Com, advised arriving early at airports, particularly for passengers with onward connections inside the Schengen Area who may need to complete registration during layovers. Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Schiphol in Amsterdam were cited among locations where simultaneous arrivals have produced longer lines.