Travelers planning a trip to Europe in 2026 will face a major change at the border: the familiar Schengen visa sticker and passport stamps will disappear. Starting October 12, 2025, the European Union 🇪🇺 will begin rolling out its new Entry/Exit System (EES), a digital and biometric border control process. By April 2026, this system will be fully in place across all Schengen Area countries, making physical stamps and stickers a thing of the past. The EU aims to improve security, speed up border checks, and support a greener, paperless administration.
The Entry/Exit System will collect travelers’ fingerprints and facial scans, linking this biometric data to their passports and storing it in a secure, central EU database. This means that when you enter or leave the Schengen Area, border officials will no longer stamp your passport. Instead, they will use your biometric information to check your entry and exit dates. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, this move is designed to make border crossings faster and more secure for millions of travelers each year.
Why is the EU making this change? There are several reasons:
- Better Security: The EES will help border officials quickly spot people who overstay their visas, go missing, or try to use fake identities. Real-time checks will make it much harder for anyone to break the rules.
- Faster Processing: Travelers with biometric passports—those with a small electronic chip—will be able to use e-gates and automated kiosks. This should mean shorter lines and less waiting, especially at busy airports and train stations.
- Environmental Benefits: By removing paper passport stamps and visa stickers, the EU is cutting down on waste and moving toward a fully digital system.
What do travelers need to know? If you plan to visit Europe in 2026 or later, you must have a biometric passport. These passports have a chip that stores your personal and biometric data. If your passport does not have this chip, you will face manual checks at the border, which could mean longer waits and possible delays.
When you enter the Schengen Area for the first time after the EES starts, you will need to register your fingerprints and have your face scanned. This usually happens at a self-service kiosk or e-gate. After this first registration, you will only need to verify your biometric data on future trips for up to three years, or until your passport expires.
During the first few months of the EES rollout, travelers may experience longer processing times, especially at busy entry points like airports, ferry ports, and the Eurostar terminal. To help with the transition, airlines, train companies, and border authorities are setting up special zones and offering app-based pre-registration. This should make the process smoother for everyone.
What about the Schengen visa? The process for getting a Schengen visa will also change. Instead of receiving a physical sticker in your passport, your visa will be recorded digitally and linked to your biometric data. This means you will no longer need to worry about losing your visa sticker or having it damaged. All your travel information will be stored securely in the EU’s central database.
No more passport stamps: After April 2026, border officials will stop stamping passports at external Schengen borders. Your entry and exit will be recorded electronically using your biometric data. This change will affect all non-EU travelers, including those from visa-exempt countries.
ETIAS: Another new requirement
In late 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will also come into effect. ETIAS is not a visa, but a mandatory online travel authorization for people from countries that do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Area. Travelers will need to apply online, pay a small fee (usually between €7 and €20), and receive approval before their trip. ETIAS approval will be valid for up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
To apply for ETIAS, you will need to provide personal information, passport details, and answer some security questions. Most applications will be approved within minutes, but some may take longer if extra checks are needed. There will be a six-month transition period after ETIAS launches, during which some travelers may still be able to enter without ETIAS under certain conditions.
How will these changes affect travelers?
– Biometric passport holders: You will benefit from faster, more efficient border checks using e-gates and kiosks.
– Non-biometric passport holders: You will face manual checks and possible delays, so it is important to renew your passport if needed.
– Visa-exempt travelers: Starting late 2026, you must apply for ETIAS before your trip.
– Frequent travelers: Once your biometric data is registered, you will only need to verify it on future trips for up to three years.
What should you do to prepare?
1. Check your passport: Make sure it is a biometric passport. If not, apply for a new one before your trip.
2. Be ready for biometric registration: At your first entry after October 2025, you will need to provide fingerprints and a facial scan.
3. Look for pre-registration options: Some airports and border points will offer app-based or kiosk pre-registration to speed up the process.
4. Apply for ETIAS online: Once ETIAS becomes available in late 2026, complete your application before traveling.
Expert opinions and official statements
Henna Virkkunen, EU Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, says the EES will make the EU “the most advanced travel destination in the world” by combining strong security with new technology. EU Home Affairs Ministers have agreed on the timeline and phased rollout to help border officials and transport companies adjust smoothly.
The EES is based on Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 and is managed by eu-LISA, the EU agency in charge of large-scale IT systems for security and justice. Major transport hubs like Eurostar, Eurotunnel, and the Port of Dover have received funding to install registration kiosks and train staff.
Where to find more information
Travelers can find official details and updates about the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS on the European Commission’s migration and home affairs website. National border authorities and transport companies will also provide guidance as the rollout approaches.
As the EU moves toward a fully digital border system, travelers should prepare for these changes to ensure a smooth journey. The days of collecting passport stamps as souvenirs may be over, but the new system promises a safer and faster travel experience for everyone heading to the Schengen Area.
Learn Today
Schengen visa → A visa allowing travel within the Schengen Area countries for short stays up to 90 days.
Entry/Exit System (EES) → A biometric border control system that records travelers’ entry and exit digitally across Schengen countries.
Biometric passport → A passport embedded with an electronic chip storing the holder’s facial and fingerprint data.
ETIAS → European Travel Information and Authorization System, an online travel permit for visa-exempt travelers entering Schengen.
e-gates → Automated border checkpoints using biometric data to verify travelers quickly without manual passport stamping.
This Article in a Nutshell
Europe’s new Entry/Exit System launches October 2025, replacing stamps with biometric checks, improving security, and accelerating border control across the Schengen Area by April 2026.
— By VisaVerge.com
