EU launches digital entry system for travellers under new border rules

Travellers to Europe, including Indians, will be subject to new entry registrations from Sunday under a phased implementation of the European Union's new digital border system.

The EU's Entry Exit System (EES) requires non-EU citizens to register at the border when entering any of the EU countries by scanning their passport and having their fingerprints and photograph taken.

EES will be a requirement when entering Schengen area countries including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, with Ireland and Cyprus exempt. For travellers using the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or Eurostar at St Pancras International in London, the process will take place at the border before they leave the UK.

We must do everything we can to prevent terrorists and irregular migrants from entering the Schengen Area illegally, said Rasmus Stoklund, EU's Minister for Immigration and Integration.

It is crucial that we maintain effective control over third-country nationals entering the Schengen Area, so that we can strengthen security at the external borders. With an EU-wide IT system, it will become easier to monitor who is crossing our borders, he said.

Travellers do not need to take any action before travelling and the process is free as registration takes place upon arrival at the EU border, making the border process longer than previous border checks.

We recognise that EES checks will be a significant change for British travellers, which is why we have worked closely with our European partners to ensure the rollout goes as smoothly as possible, said Alex Norris, UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum.

The UK and EU have a shared objective of securing our borders and these modernisation measures will help us protect our citizens and prevent illegal migration, he said.

British passport-holders will need to register on their first visit to a country where EES checks are operating, with the registration valid for a rolling three-year period or until the passport expires. The new system will be phased in over six months, meaning different ports may have varying requirements until it is expected to become fully operational by April 10, 2026.

Our priority is to minimise disruption for travellers and hauliers, particularly at our busiest border crossings. We'll continue working closely with European partners and local resilience forums to keep traffic flowing and journeys smooth, said Keir Mather, UK Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation.

The EU says its EES is aimed at modernising and strengthening border control, replacing passport stamping for all non-EU citizens and helping them to track compliance with visa rules.

The EES will also help to significantly reduce identity fraud, an official statement said.

Children under 12 will not be fingerprinted under the new EU rules but all travellers, including babies, will be photographed and have digital records created.

Meanwhile, the UK government has also rolled out its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, which is a digital permission to travel for visitors who do not need a visa for short stays, or do not have another valid UK immigration status prior to travelling to the UK.