Europe’s New Border Control System — The Entry/Exit System (EES), a new digital border control platform, will start operating on October 12, 2025. European countries using the EES will gradually introduce the system at their external borders, with full implementation expected by April 10, 2026.
The EES is an automated IT system designed to record the entry and exit of non-EU citizens traveling for short stays—up to 90 days within any 180-day period—each time they cross the external borders of the countries participating in the system.
Table of Contents
What the EES Does
The EES replaces the manual stamping of passports with a digital registration of entries and exits. The system records:
- Personal data as listed in the traveler’s passport (such as full name and date of birth)
- The date and place of entry and exit
- A facial image and fingerprints (biometric data)
- Any refusal of entry, when applicable
This information will be stored securely and used only for the purposes defined by the EU Regulation (2017/2226).
Who Is Affected
The system applies to nationals of third countries, meaning travelers who are not citizens of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.
It covers both:
- Travelers who require a short-stay visa to enter the Schengen area, and
- Travelers who do not need a visa for short stays.
Countries participating in the EES include Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Switzerland, Norway, Austria, the Netherlands, and most other Schengen states.
Cyprus and Ireland, although EU members, will continue to use manual passport stamps.
Certain categories of travelers are exempt, such as:
- Holders of residence permits or long-stay visas
- Family members of EU citizens
- Diplomats, state officials, and NATO personnel
- Travelers from Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City
Why the EES Is Being Introduced
According to the European Commission, the system aims to:
- Modernize and make border checks more efficient
- Replace manual passport stamping with faster digital procedures
- Help identify travelers who exceed the authorized duration of stay
- Prevent the use of false or stolen identities
- Support the fight against serious crime and terrorism
The EES also allows border officers and law enforcement authorities to access relevant travel information in order to improve security within the Schengen area.
How the EES Will Work
When you arrive at the external border of a participating country—for example, at Milan Malpensa Airport—your biometric data will be collected by a border officer.
This includes scanning your face and fingerprints.
If it is your first entry since the system’s launch, these data will be stored in the EES database. On future trips, your identity will be verified using the same information already on record.
During the initial phase, some data (such as facial images and fingerprints) may not be collected at all border points right away.
Passport stamps will continue to be used temporarily during this progressive rollout, which will last until April 9, 2026.
From April 10, 2026, the system will be fully operational at all border crossings of participating countries.
Read also: Getting from Malpensa Airport to Milan Center and Best Ways to Get from Linate Airport to Milan City Center
How Long the Data Will Be Stored
The EES will keep personal data only for as long as necessary:
- Three years from the date of entry or exit registration
- Five years if no exit is recorded within the authorized period
- One year for specific categories, such as family members of EU citizens traveling without residence permits
After these periods, all data are automatically deleted.
Data Protection and Privacy
The data are protected under EU data protection laws.
Access is restricted to border, visa, and immigration authorities of the countries using the system, as well as Europol, for law-enforcement purposes under strict conditions.
The EES is managed by eu-LISA, the EU Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems.
Travelers have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of their personal data, and can file a complaint with the national data protection authority or the European Data Protection Supervisor.
What Happens If You Refuse to Provide Biometric Data
If you refuse to have your facial image or fingerprints collected, you will be denied entry into the territory of the European countries that use the EES.
Duration of Stay and Overstays
The authorized stay of 90 days within 180 days remains unchanged.
Travelers can verify their remaining days using the Short-Stay Calculator provided by the European Commission.
If you exceed the authorized duration, the system will record you as an overstayer.
Consequences depend on national laws and may include fines, detention, removal, or a re-entry ban.
If there are valid reasons—such as hospitalization or other unforeseen circumstances—your data may be corrected by the authorities.
Summary: Europe’s New Border Control System
- Launch date: October 12, 2025
- Full operation: April 10, 2026
- Applies to: non-EU travelers, including those visa-free
- Main features: biometric registration of entries and exits
- Purpose: improve border management, prevent overstays, and strengthen security in the Schengen area
- For more information visit the official website: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees
For travelers arriving in Milan, this means that border control at airports like Malpensa and Linate will gradually shift from manual passport stamps to digital biometric registration over the coming months.
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