tl;dr – non-EU citizens entering the Schengen Area will have to register via the new EES kiosks.
If you have a trip to Europe planned this fall (or later), here’s a quick heads-up about some changes to border control you’ll want to be aware of. This coming Sunday, October 12, 2025, the EU will implement its new biometric entry/exit system (EES), requiring travelers to submit fingerprints and face scans. You’ll no longer visit traditional passport control, where you receive a stamp.
While these changes will be live for entry/exit at 29 countries, it’s expected that the rollout will be gradual.
Thus, it’s possible that if you’re traveling on or after October 12, 2025, you may still arrive at or exit from a port where, for whatever reason (e.g., EES hasn’t been implemented yet, technological mishaps, staffing issues), you’ll receive traditional passport screening, including a stamp.
Full integration of EES is expected by April 2026.
Call me old school, but I abhor all things biometrics (travel-related or otherwise), and I am a definite fan of a good old-fashioned passport stamp.
