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From October 12, the European Union will set up a new device for non-citizen European tourists from EU member countries. But ENTRY EXIT SYTEM (Entrance system, EES) is subject to many info.
Euronews examined the most widespread Fake-News.
Will travelers have to ask for a new visa?
Off-EU travelers from countries exempt from visa, such as the United Kingdom, will not need to request a visa for short-term stays (maximum 90 days over a period of 180 days).
Indeed, the EES system will electronically record the input and exit data at the EU borders, for non-European citizens going to the Schengen area. It is designed to digitally record input and exit data in order to identify the people who exceed the validity duration of their visa, improve border security and replace the stamps on passports. It does not change visa policies and does not mean that a visa will be required where it was not before.
Confusion is made with the European Information and Travel Authorization System (ETIAS)which will be introduced from the end of the year 2026. This system will be required for travelers exempt from visa entering the Schengen area, including British nationals. It will not be a visa, but a visa exemption system similar to the American ESTA. The online system is designed as a rapid and online pre-movement authorization process.
Does EES apply to everyone, including EU citizens?
The EES system will only apply to nationals of third countries, whether they come from countries exempt from visa or not and which travel for short stays to or from the Schengen area.
EU citizens as well as holders of a long -term visa or a residence permit issued by a country of Schengen space will not be affected by the EES system.
The nationals of third countries who go to Europe as part of studies, research, training, exchanges, volunteering, peer stays or educational projects will not be concerned by the EES system either.
Likewise, people who have obtained certain privileges in border control, as well as people exempt from border control, such as cross -border workers and heads of state, should not go through the EES system.
Will the EES lead to additional costs?
The EES system does not require the payment of additional rights to the border.
On the other hand, when the ETIAS system is introduced from 2026, travelers from non-member countries of the EU will have to pay a tax of around 20 euros per person to obtain a travel authorization. This authorization will be valid for three years or until the expiration of the passport.
Travelers under the age of 18 and over 70 are exempt from this payment, as well as members of the EU citizens’ family or third -party nationals who have the right to circulate freely in the EU.
The Etias fee has recently been range from 7 to 20 euros And is always the subject of a review, because specialists fear that it will lead to a disproportionate increase in costs for travelers, especially for families.
Will the border passage become more complicated with EES?
Some travelers and experts fear that EES will make border passages at European airports, even longer and chaotic than they are today.
If travelers and border staff are likely to undergo some initial delays to get used to the new system, in the long term, the EES system is supposed to make border controls much more fluid and effective.
Time saving will mainly be done with the abandonment of manual stamps on passports And by automating biometric systems such as facial recognition and the collection of fingerprints. The EU is studying the possibility of setting up pre-recording systems and self-service kiosks at certain borders in order to accelerate the treatment of travelers and reduce waiting times.
Will ESS store personal information?
While cases of violation of confidentiality and data security are increasing, concerns arise as for the possibility that ESS stores all the personal information of travelers from non-member countries of the EU.
EES will only record travel information and biometric information specific to visitors, such as facial scans, fingerprints, entry and output dates and passport details. It will not record other information, such as daily activities and travel within the EU.
The data collected will be governed by strict European regulations in terms of data protection, with clear limits concerning access, shelf life and data use.
The objective is to ensure that travelers respect the 90 -day rule for short -term stays and that they do not exceed the authorized length of stay in the Schengen area.
Should British travelers subscribe to a hack insurance?
This affirmation was made directly by Nigel Farageboss you Party Reform UK.
Until today, many British travelers use the World Health Insurance Card (Global Health Insurance Card, Ghic), provided free of charge by the NHS (National Health Service). Although it does not replace travel insurance, it provides access to treatments in EU countries and Switzerland at the same cost as residents, be free of charge.
The idea that theham could become compulsory when the SEE was introduced aroused many concerns, especially in elderly travelers and people with pre -existing diseases. Because, for the latter, the price of insurance could then be very high.
But the European Commission has since confirmed to the British newspaper The Independent that no evidence of insurance would be required. The SEE does not modify the entry conditions of British travelers into the EU and in the enlarged Schengen area, but they will always have to join post-Brexit rules.
In particular, they will have to justify the subject of their trip, show that they have sufficient funds for the duration of their trip and prove that they have reserved accommodation. They could also prove that they have a return ticket for the United Kingdom or that they are continuing their trip to a country where they are sure to be allowed to enter.
Is EES a sanction for Brexit?
Some British travelers have expressed their concern about the fact that the new EES system is used mainly as towards the United Kingdom for Brexit.
However, the EES system is an EU level effort aimed at rationalizing and automating border controls for all non-IS EU visitors, not only for British citizens. It is mainly a question of ensuring that the travel rules within the Schengen area, such as the short stay of 90 days, are properly followed.
In reality, the See was planned long before Brexit. The United Kingdom even participated in its planning.
For its part, the United Kingdom has also introduced its own border control system, electronic travel authorization (ETA), since April 2025. It is a digital travel authorization, linked to your passport, and not a visa or an entry guarantee.
Visitors to countries who do not currently require a visa for short -term stays need an ETA. Depending on their nationality, travelers passing through the United Kingdom generally need an ETA, especially if they pass border controls. With an ETA, travelers can therefore make several trips to the United Kingdom for a maximum duration of six months over a period of two years, or until the expiration of their passport, depending on what happens first.
