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Editorial Disclosure
The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces passport stamps with a digital system for border crossings at member airports.
EES launched on April 10, and the rollout has been far from seamless.
Some travelers have reported hours-long waits, and some European countries are considering delaying implementation until after peak summer. That said, I just used EES on a recent trip to Italy, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as the headlines suggested.
Here’s everything you need to know about EES, what my experience was actually like, and how to beat the system on both ends of your trip.
What is EES?
EES is a new digital biometric record of every entry and exit into the EU.
If you’re traveling with a non-EU passport for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, you’ll go through EES at the border.
EES is currently used in the following European countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Note that the EES system isn’t currently being used in Cyprus and Ireland.
The first time you enter Europe, you’ll register your passport, capture a photo, and provide four fingerprints. This registration is good for three years.
On every subsequent visit, the system simply verifies your stored biometrics — no re-registration required.
EES is separate from the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is expected to launch in late 2026.
This will become the new pre-travel approval that visa-exempt travelers (including Americans) must obtain before flying.
What my EES experience was actually like
My experience using EEs was way smoother than you’d probably expect.
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On arrival at Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) after the Alaska Airlines inaugural flight, the process consists of two parts.
First, you register at a self-service kiosk with a passport scan, a photo, and four fingerprints. There were plenty of open kiosks, and the whole thing took me under five minutes.
(Note that Sweden and Portugal let you complete registration before you land in Europe using the Travel to Europe app.)
Once registered, you head to the eGate immigration line for non-EU passports. Don’t get in the wrong lane — I watched plenty of people make that mistake.
From there, I waited about eight minutes for my turn at the gate.
On departure, I cleared the entire exit process at FCO in roughly 15 minutes. Most of the holdup was due to a long line for the eGates. I’d estimate that 30% of travelers didn’t know how to use the kiosks.
Plus, the usual peak-departure crush didn’t help either.
How to beat EES on arrival
Entering Europe is when most of the viral videos have been filmed. In my experience, it’s not as bad as advertised, but a few easy tips can save you serious time.
- Know the two-step process. If you’re entering Europe for the first time since EES launched, register at a self-service kiosk first. Then, line up at the eGate immigration line. Don’t head straight for the eGates if you haven’t registered yet.
- Pre-register with the Travel to Europe app if it’s available for your arrival country. The app lets you submit passport details and a facial image up to 72 hours before departure.
- Avoid peak arrival windows. Most transatlantic flights arrive at major European hubs in the mid-morning. I’d avoid arriving during this time to avoid longer lines.
- Remove your passport from any cases.
- Passengers with reduced mobility and families with children under 12 can skip the registration process and head straight to passport control.
How to beat EES on departure
The exit process trips up more people than you’d expect. A few things that will save you time at the eGate:
- Place your passport on the scanner with the information page facing down.
- Wait for the machine to finish reading before removing your passport.
- Don’t push the gate or call for help. If there’s a person in the vestibule ahead of you, the gates won’t open until they’re through.
- Step up to the camera when the gates open. You’ll get a photo taken, and in some cases, your fingerprints will be collected too.
Bottom line
EES is going to be the new normal for any American traveling to Europe, and the early rollout hasn’t been without hiccups.
If you can, avoid arriving during peak transatlantic banks. And if you’re heading to Sweden or Portugal, take a few minutes to pre-register on the Travel to Europe app before you fly.
Otherwise, knowing how the system works before you step off the jet bridge is the single best way to save yourself time and frustration.
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I was in Madrid last week and this week and the system was rejecting almost everyone who tried to use the machines – massive joke and waste of time. Both coming into Spain and leaving was a disaster