Estonia will activate the European Union’s new Entry-Exit System (EES) at all border points from 12 October 2025, becoming the first member state to go fully live.
The EES replaces manual passport stamping with a digital log of entries and exits. Non-EU travellers, including UK passport holders, will be required to provide biometrics upon their first entry to the Schengen area. Later crossings use a quick face check.
Rollout across Schengen
The Schengen Area spans 29 countries. From October, border posts will begin taking biometric and document data from non-EU visitors. The EU expects full coverage by April 2026.
Readiness differs by country. Estonia says every checkpoint is set. Germany will start with a single point at Düsseldorf Airport. Luxembourg is ready at its only external crossing, Findel Airport.
During the changeover, some travellers will face both EES registration and a passport stamp until all states complete the switch.
Estonia’s head start
Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board will run the system at Tallinn Airport, major seaports, and road and rail crossings with Russia. One outlier is the Värska–Saatse gravel road, which briefly crosses Russian territory and is not part of EES. Cyclists and motorcyclists may use it as long as they don’t stop.
Tallinn hosts eu-LISA, the EU agency that operates large-scale IT systems, including the EES — a factor behind Estonia’s early readiness.
What changes at the border
Who’s affected: Non-EU visitors on short stays, including UK citizens. Irish passport holders are exempt from EES biometrics.
What’s collected: Basic passport details, dates and places of entry/exit, and biometric identifiers.
Stay limits: The system will automatically track the 90-days-in-180 rule, removing the need to count stamps.
Queues at first: Initial registration plus parallel stamping may add time during the transition.
Timeline
12 October 2025: EES goes live; Estonia fully operational at every checkpoint.
By April 2026: All Schengen states are due to complete implementation.
If you enter Schengen on a visa, expect EES registration at your first post-launch arrival. Aim to get to the airport earlier during the rollout, especially when connecting through hubs still phasing in the system.
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