Europe’s New Automated EES is Set to Go Live in 2022

The EU’s new automated Entry/Exit System (EES) was set to go live on Sept. 1, 2022 and now postponed to November. Operators will be required to electronically verify the visa validity of third-country nationals traveling to any of the 26 Schengen countries. The new system will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time-consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings, and does not allow a systematic detection of travelers who have exceeded the maximum duration of their authorized stay.

The new EES system will register the travel name, type of the travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images), and the date and place of entry and exit, it will also record refusals of entry. All of the registered data will be recorded in full respect of fundamental rights and data protection in Europe.

This is the first phase in a broader implementation of ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) which goes live in 2023, ETIAS requires operators to electronically verify the status of travel docs of visitors to one of the 26 countries that do not require a visa. This program is similar to the U.S Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). ETIAS will go into effect at the start of 2023. By the end of 2022, all visitors who currently do not need a visa to enter Europe will be expected to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization visa waiver.

The ETIAS visa waiver has been designed for up to 90 days for short-term stays. Tourism and business travelers will be expected to have an approved ETIAS when traveling to any Schengen member countries.

Operators must first register in the eu-LISA portal before being able to use EES and ETIAS. It’s advised to register as early as possible to avoid any complications or difficulties close to the application deadline period before the EES go live on Sept. 1st 2022.