I just used Europe’s new EES border system. Here’s what you need to know.

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces traditional 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 two recent trips to Europe, and it wasn’t nearly as bad as the headlines suggested.

That said, the process is still super confusing, especially for first-timers.

Here’s everything you need to know about EES, what my experiences using it were actually like, and how to beat the system on both ends of your trip.

Predicting EES crowds

Here’s the thing about EES lines: they swing wildly depending on when you land or depart. So I built a tool to map it.

I pulled the full flight schedules for the 13 biggest EES airports, stripped out the intra-Europe flights that skip EES, and charted how busy each border runs hour by hour — by airport, by day of the week, and for both arrivals and departures.

A few things worth knowing: this forecasts how busy the border is, not a guaranteed wait time — a quiet hour still moves at the speed of the passengers in front of you.

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 subsequent visits, 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

Arriving in Europe

I’ve now experienced the new European immigration system twice.

The first time, I was traveling to Rome on the Alaska Airlines inaugural flight. The second time, I was flying to Milan on Emirates’ fifth-freedom route from New York.

On arrival at both Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) and Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), 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 at both airports, and the whole thing took me under five minutes.

Note that you can’t go straight to the immigration lane. You must complete the registration process. I saw plenty of people try to skip this step and then get sent to the back of the line.

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Interestingly, in Milan, the registration kiosk asked me about the purpose of my stay, how much cash I was traveling with, and when I plan to leave.

That’s probably why I was told that I needed to complete this step, even though my biometrics were already stored from my first visit.

I received no such questions on arrival in Rome.

(Note that Sweden and Portugal let you complete a portion of the registration process 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 in both airports.

From there, I waited about ten minutes for my turn at the gate in Rome, and about 20 minutes in Milan.

Departing Europe

On departure from Rome, I cleared the 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.

Leaving Europe the second time with EES was a little different.

Firstly, my last point of departure from the EU was Paris. (I had connected within Europe to get to Paris, but you don’t need to do anything with EES until your last point of departure from Europe.)

I specifically chose the first flight of the day from Paris to New York to avoid long EES lines, and that move paid off big time.

There was no one in the immigration line at Terminal 2E at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) when I arrived at 6:15 a.m.

I went straight to the eGate, inserted my passport, and took a quick picture. I was on my way in under five minutes.

The bad news is that several immigration agents told me the line has been stretching to two hours during peak departure times.

CDG does offer a priority EES lane for families and travelers with Sky Priority. To find it, follow the signs for “crew” in Terminal 2E.

How to beat EES on arrival

Entering Europe is where most of the viral videos have been filmed. It’s not always as bad as advertised, but a few simple tips can save you a lot of 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 basic arrival details and provides a QR code to speed up the registration upon arrival. Note that you will still need to wait in line at the eGates even after using the app.
• 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. (Both of my experiences with EES were during non-peak arrival banks.)
• 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 and use the priority lane.

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.
• Note that some airports offer a priority line for families, elite members, and business-class travelers. Use those lanes if you’re eligible.
• Avoid peak departure windows if possible. Early-morning or late-evening flights will be your best bet.

Bottom line

EES is 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 bank hours. 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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