BRUSSELS (Chatnewstv.com) — Non-EU nationals entering or leaving the Schengen Area will face new digital border checks starting 12 October 2025, as the European Union launches its Entry/Exit System (EES) to strengthen border security and track overstays. The new system will record passport details, fingerprints, and facial images of short-stay visitors, replacing manual passport stamps with a fully automated process across 29 European countries.
“We must do everything we can to prevent terrorists and irregular migrants from entering the Schengen Area illegally,” said Rasmus Stoklund, Denmark’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.”
The EES will help identify overstayers, reduce identity fraud, and provide real-time data on border movements. It will be phased in gradually at select crossings before becoming fully operational by 10 April 2026. The system applies only to travelers from outside the EU, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
