Europe’s Digital Entry System That Will Replace Passport Stamps Delayed

The new Entry/Exit System (EES) was slated to go into effect next month.

By Alison Fox Alison Fox

Alison Fox is a Travel + Leisure contributor. She has also written for Parents.com, The Wall Street Journal, and amNewYork. When she’s not in New York City, she can be found at the beach or on the slopes. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on October 15, 2024

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The European Union will delay the introduction of a new digital system aimed at replacing passport stamps.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES), which was slated to go into effect next month, will eventually replace passport stamps with a high-tech scanning process that uses biometric data like face scans and fingerprint scans. When it is functional, the EES will be used to enter 29 countries in Europe, according to the European Union.

The roll out, however, was delayed after Germany, France, and the Netherlands reported their border computer systems were not quite ready, Reuters reported. There is now no new timeline for the introduction of the system, but EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said the EU was instead considering a phased rollout.

When it is up and running, the EES will be required for non-EU nationals traveling for a short stay, including travelers from the United States. The system will register a traveler’s name, the type of travel document they used, their fingerprints and captured facial images, and the date and place of their entry and exit. 

A short stay is considered visits of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

In addition to the new EES system, the European Union will also plan to implement a pre-authorization system next year called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (or ETIAS). That system, which is expected to go into effect in the first half of 2025, will cost €7 ($7.63) and require travelers from visa-exempt countries to apply in advance of visiting 30 different European countries.

Nearby, the United Kingdom will similarly introduce an electronic travel authorization (ETA) fee next year, which will cost £10 ($13.09) and be digitally linked to a traveler’s passport. The ETA will go into effect for visitors from most countries, including from the U.S., on Jan. 8, 2025.