Debunking Myths About the Entry/Exit System (EES): What Travellers Need to Know
Monday, October 7th, 2024
There are changes ahead for border control procedures at Palma Airport and other airports across Europe. In spite of numerous delays, the European Union is due to roll out the Entry/Exit System (EES) in the not-too-distant future. This new digital system for registering the entry and exit of non-EU nationals travelling to and from the Schengen Area has been in the news for some time. Unsurprisingly, several myths and misconceptions surrounding the changes it will bring, have since emerged. We have looked at some of these to help you separate fact from fiction.
Myth: You will need to apply for a visa to enter the EU once the EES is in place.
Fact: The EES does not require non-EU travellers to apply for a visa.
The EES is an electronic system that will be installed at EU borders. It is designed to register entry and exit data automatically for non-EU citizens who travel to the Schengen Area. If you are from a visa-exempt country, such as the UK, you will not need a visa for short stays (up to 90 days within a 180-day period). However, from 2025, you will need to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) before entering the EU. This is not the same as a visa, and the application process will be much quicker and easier than a visa application.
Myth: The EES will track and store all personal information about non-EU travellers.
Fact: The EES will only store specific travel-related information.
The EES will store information such as your biometric data (fingerprints and facial scans), passport details, and entry/exit dates. Its purpose is to record and monitor the movement of travellers to improve security and ensure compliance with the 90-day rule. It will not track additional personal information like your daily movements or activities within the EU.
Myth: The EES will make border crossings significantly longer and more complicated.
Fact: The EES is designed to streamline and speed up the process.
Initially, there may be some delays as border staff and travellers adjust to the new system. However, in the long term, the EES is expected to make border control more efficient by replacing the need for manual passport stamps. Automated biometric systems (fingerprint and facial recognition) are designed to speed up the process, ensuring quicker and smoother border crossings for non-EU travellers.
Myth: The EES applies to everyone, including EU citizens.
Fact: The EES applies only to non-EU citizens who are travelling to or from the Schengen Area for short stays.
EU citizens and those with residency permits in the Schengen Area will not be subject to the new system. This means that if you hold a valid long-term visa or residence permit, your travel won’t be affected by the EES.
Myth: The EES is punishing UK citizens for Brexit.
Fact: The EES is unrelated to Brexit.
The EES is part of the European Union’s wider effort to modernise its border management for all non-EU travellers. The system will apply to visitors from many countries outside the EU, not just the UK, and was planned well before Brexit occurred. Its purpose is to enhance security and streamline border processes, ensuring compliance with existing Schengen travel rules. UK travellers are affected because they are now non-EU citizens, but the EES isn’t specifically targeting British nationals. Meanwhile, the UK is in the process of implementing its own border management system called the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). European travellers will be required to have an ETA for travel to the UK from the 2nd of April 2025.
Myth: You can reset your 90-day stay by briefly leaving the Schengen Area.
Fact: This will not be possible.
The EES will automatically record your entry and exit dates, making it impossible to “reset” your 90-day limit by simply leaving and re-entering the Schengen Area. The system tracks your time spent in the Schengen Area within a rolling 180-day period. Once you reach the 90-day limit, you must spend sufficient time outside the Schengen Area before you are allowed back for another short stay (=90 days within 180 days).
Myth: You will have to pay extra fees at the border when the EES comes into force.
Fact: There are no EES-specific fees to be paid for border crossings.
The EES itself does not impose any additional fees for non-EU travellers at the border. However, once ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) comes into force in 2025, non-EU travellers will have to pay a small fee (around €7) to obtain travel authorisation (this will remain valid for 3 years or until your passport runs out, depending on which happens first).
Myth: The EES is part of the EU’s visa system.
Fact: The EES is not a visa system.
The EES is a border management system designed to register the entry, exit, and (in some cases) refusal of entry of non-EU nationals. It operates separately from the EU’s visa systems and aims to improve border security and track non-EU visitors. ETIAS, which will come into force later, will require non-EU nationals to register for travel authorisation before visiting the Schengen Area, but this is distinct from the EES.
Key Takeaway Message
While the EES will bring some changes, the system aims to modernise and streamline border control for non-EU travellers without drastically altering the travel process.
