EES and ETIAS: Europe's new border checks for visitors
Since 10 April 2026, non-EU visitors have their fingerprints and a facial image taken the first time they enter the Schengen area. ETIAS, the pre-travel authorisation, hasn't started.
By Simvito · Reviewed
EES: what happens at the border
The Entry/Exit System registers non-EU nationals on short stays: name, passport details, fingerprints and a facial image, plus the date and place of each entry and exit. It started gradually on 12 October 2025 and has been fully running since 10 April 2026, at the borders of 29 European countries. There's nothing to apply for in advance; expect the first entry to take longer.
ETIAS: not yet
The EU says ETIAS isn't in operation and no applications are being collected. It will announce the start date several months before launch. When it starts, the fee will be EUR 20. Sites that take ETIAS applications or payments now aren't official.
Visas
EES and ETIAS don't replace visas. Passports that need a Schengen visa today, including mainland Chinese and Indian ones, still apply for one.
Data across Europe
For one country, a single-country plan such as Italy usually costs less. For several, compare the Europe plans by the countries they include.