--- title: "EES and ETIAS Explained (2026) | Wimup" description: "Europe's Entry/Exit System is live and ETIAS is not yet. Who must register, what happens at the border, what it costs, and how to avoid the queues." url: https://wimup.com/guide/ees-etias type: Travel guide updated: 2026-11-14 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Europe's new border rules: EES and ETIAS explained Since April 2026 most non-European visitors give fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area. The separate travel permit, ETIAS, has not started yet. Here is what each means for your trip. By the Wimup desk · 5 min read · Before you fly · Borders ## Quick answer The Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully running at the external borders of 29 European countries: on your first visit you register your passport, a photo and fingerprints, and passports are no longer stamped. It is free. ETIAS, the €20 online travel authorisation, is not in operation yet and is expected in 2027 at the earliest. Until it launches, you cannot and do not need to apply. ## Two systems, often confused Two European projects arrived on the same timetable and are often mixed up. - **EES (Entry/Exit System)** is a digital border record. It replaces the passport stamp with your biometric data and logs each entry and exit. It started on 12 October 2025, was phased in over six months, and has been fully operational since **10 April 2026**. There is nothing to apply for and no fee. - **ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)** is a pre-travel permit, similar to the US ESTA or the UK ETA, that visa-exempt visitors will need to buy online before they travel. It is **not running yet**. The [EU's official EES site](https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) and [official ETIAS site](https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) are the only sources to trust for dates and rules. ## Where EES applies EES runs at the external borders of **29 countries**: every EU member except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. In practice that is everywhere in the Schengen area, from [Portugal](https://wimup.com/country/portugal.md) to [Greece](https://wimup.com/country/greece.md) and from [Norway](https://wimup.com/country/norway.md) to [Italy](https://wimup.com/country/italy.md). - Country group: EES?: Examples - **Schengen EU members**: Yes: [France](https://wimup.com/country/france.md), [Spain](https://wimup.com/country/spain.md), [Germany](https://wimup.com/country/germany.md), [Croatia](https://wimup.com/country/croatia.md) - **Non-EU Schengen**: Yes: [Switzerland](https://wimup.com/country/switzerland.md), [Iceland](https://wimup.com/country/iceland.md), [Norway](https://wimup.com/country/norway.md), Liechtenstein - **EU, outside the system**: No: Ireland ([Dublin](https://wimup.com/city/dublin.md)), Cyprus - **Not EU**: No: The UK ([London](https://wimup.com/city/london.md)), Turkey, the Balkans outside the EU You register once, at the first Schengen border you cross. Flying from [Dubai](https://wimup.com/city/dubai.md) to [Paris](https://wimup.com/city/paris.md) via [Rome](https://wimup.com/city/rome.md), that is [Rome](https://wimup.com/city/rome.md), not [Paris](https://wimup.com/city/paris.md): the flight between them is inside the area. ## Who has to register EES covers **non-EU nationals on a short stay**, meaning up to 90 days in any 180-day period, whether they need a visa or not. That includes holders of British, American, Canadian, Australian and UAE passports and most other visitors. It does not apply to EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian and Swiss citizens, to non-EU family members of EU citizens who hold a residence card, or to people who hold a residence permit or a long-stay visa for a country in the system. If you live in the UAE on a residence visa but hold, say, an Indian passport, it is your passport that counts: you will need a Schengen visa and you will register in EES. ## What happens at the border On your first entry after 10 April 2026, a border officer or a self-service kiosk will: - scan your passport; - take a photo of your face; - take four fingerprints (children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting); - ask, in some cases, about your stay: where you are staying, the purpose of the trip and proof of funds or a return ticket. Your record then logs each entry and exit, and the system counts your days automatically against the 90-in-180 rule, which used to be worked out from stamps. Your passport is **no longer stamped**. On later trips you are usually only checked against the stored record, which is quicker; a new passport means registering again. i #### Overstaying is now visible Because every entry and exit is recorded, the 90-day limit is counted to the day. Use the EU's short-stay calculator on the official site if you make several trips in six months. ## Queues, and how to avoid them First-time registration takes longer than a stamp, and the first summer of full operation in 2026 brought long waits. Airline and airport groups reported queues of more than two hours at busy airports at peak times, and the UK side of the Channel crossings at Dover, Folkestone and [London](https://wimup.com/city/london.md) St Pancras was badly affected over the spring bank holiday. - **Allow more time** for your first entry, especially in the summer and school holidays, and do not book a tight onward connection out of your first Schengen airport. - **Use the kiosks** where they are offered; they pre-register you before you reach the officer. - **Families** should expect children over 12 to give fingerprints too. - **Travelling by car or coach**, expect the longest waits: everyone on board has to register. ## ETIAS: what is coming, and when ETIAS will be an online authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, including UK, US, Canadian, Australian and UAE passport holders. Once it launches, as currently set out: - it will cost **€20**, with travellers under 18 and over 70 exempt from the fee; - it will be valid for **three years**, or until your passport expires if sooner; - most applications should be approved within minutes, though some take longer; - there will be a transition period after launch, during which travellers without one are not turned away. The EU has not announced a start date. The official site previously pointed to late 2026; that timetable has been dropped, and 2027 is now the earliest realistic date. The EU has said it will announce the date several months before launch. i #### Beware of ETIAS scam sites Because ETIAS is not running, any website offering to sell you one now is not official. When it launches, apply only through the EU's own site or app. #### The short version - **EES is live**: register passport, face and fingerprints on your first Schengen entry. Free, no application. - Passports are **no longer stamped**; your 90 days in 180 are counted automatically. - **ETIAS is not running**: €20, valid three years, expected 2027 at the earliest. - Allow extra time at the border, especially your first time and in peak season. ## FAQs ### Do I need ETIAS to travel to Europe now? No. ETIAS is not in operation yet and no start date has been announced. Visa-exempt visitors can travel without it until the EU confirms a launch, which it has said it will do several months in advance. ### Does EES apply to British travellers? Yes. UK passport holders are non-EU nationals on short stays, so they register in EES on their first entry to the Schengen area, including at the juxtaposed controls at Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras. ### Does EES apply to UAE residents? It depends on the passport, not the residence. UAE nationals are visa-exempt and register in EES. Residents holding other passports follow the rules for their nationality, which often means a Schengen visa plus EES registration. ### How much does EES cost? Nothing. EES is a border record, not a permit, and there is no fee. ETIAS, when it launches, will cost €20 for travellers aged 18 to 70. ### Do children have to give fingerprints for EES? Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting but are still registered with their passport and a photo. ## Related how-tos - [How far ahead should you book flights?](https://wimup.com/guide/booking-flights.md) - [Is the 100 ml liquids rule gone?](https://wimup.com/guide/liquids.md) - [The carry-on-only system for a week away](https://wimup.com/guide/packing.md) ## Sources - [EU's official EES site](https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [official ETIAS site](https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.