Schengen Zone: EU activates biometric border checks for Indians, non-EU travellers under new EES rollout

Travellers from non-EU countries, including India, must now comply with the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which mandates fingerprinting, facial recognition, and digital passport scans at borders across the Schengen Zone.

The EES went live today and replaces traditional passport stamping with a fully digital record of biometric data and travel history. It applies to the 25 Schengen countries — including major destinations like France, Spain, Italy, and Germany — as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus remain exempt from the system.

The European Union says the EES will improve border efficiency, strengthen internal security, and help track visa overstays. “The data may be accessed by border, visa and immigration authorities, local police and Europol under strict rules,” according to official EU documentation. Data collected—including names, facial images, fingerprints, and travel logs — will be stored for three years.

The phased rollout begins immediately at major UK departure points. At the port of Dover, coach and foot passengers will use EES registration terminals from today. Eurotunnel passengers departing Folkestone also face immediate checks. Eurostar has installed self-service kiosks at London St Pancras, with gradual implementation continuing into the coming months.

Travellers must use self-service stations upon arrival to register biometric data, including fingerprints and a facial scan. “If a person refuses to provide a picture or have their fingerprints taken then they will be refused entry,” according to the EU. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting.

Implementation timelines vary across the EU. In Germany, Stuttgart Airport will begin EES use first, with a broader rollout planned for Frankfurt and other major hubs.

Although EES does not eliminate the need for passport checks by border officials, it eliminates manual stamping. Once a traveller is registered, subsequent entries within a three-year period will require fewer steps due to stored biometric data.

The system does not apply to citizens of EU countries or to nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. However, long-stay visa holders and certain exempt categories may also bypass full registration.

The EES is scheduled for full implementation across all applicable locations by April 10, 2026.