UAE travellers to Schengen countries face biometric entry and exit recording

The European Union’s mission to the UAE announced via its official X account the upcoming launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES), a transformative digital system for travellers to the Schengen Region.

The EES will replace manual passport stamping at EU borders, streamlining travel procedures and enhancing security.

The system will begin phased implementation on October 12, 2025, across EU external borders, with full deployment at all crossing points by April 10, 2026. The system will be applied on all non-EU travellers, including visa-exempt and visa-required individuals, such as UAE citizens and residents.

It replaces manual passport stamping with a digital system to record entry/exit data, track overstayers, combat irregular migration, and detect identity/document fraud. The system automatically records traveller’s details including name, travel document type, fingerprints, facial image along with entry/exit dates, locations, and denied entry cases. It Utilises e-gates and self-service kiosks at airports and land borders for faster, automated processing.

It also reduces border wait times and enhances accuracy compared to manual checks. It will be applied on visa-exempt UAE citizens and short-term visitors (up to 90 days within 180 days. Passport and biometric data (fingerprints, facial images) will be digitally stored for future verification.

The EU mission advises monitoring official channels for updates closer to implementation. European migration authorities suggest expanding automation, allowing travellers to use self-service systems for biometric verification (pre-registered fingerprints/facial scans) upon arrival, further expediting border crossings.