- EES data can be pre-registered in the Travel to Europe app within 72 hours before entry.
- ETIAS applies to visa-free short-stay visitors travelling to the Schengen area and Cyprus.
- British and Irish citizens are ETA-exempt but need a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement.
eu-LISA filed a claim in an Estonian court over delays in delivering the Entry/Exit System, the biometric border system that replaces passport stamps for covered travellers. The system became fully operational across participating Schengen countries on April 10, 2026.
The claim was filed on December 22, 2025, and disclosed in the agency’s 2025 final accounts. It concerns the system’s development, not its current operation.
IBM Belgium led the consortium hired to build the system, with Eviden, part of Atos, and Leonardo as the other members. The accounts do not state how much the agency is seeking.
The agency’s accounts say:
“Given the early stages of the proceedings, no evaluation of the probability of the outcome can be reliably made at the moment”
EES records short-stay visits at Schengen borders
The system began a gradual rollout on October 12, 2025. It now records entries, exits and refusals of entry digitally, replacing passport stamps for covered travellers at the participating countries’ external borders.
EES applies to non-EU nationals visiting 29 Schengen countries for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It covers visitors who need a short-stay visa and those who do not. Exemptions apply.
No advance application is required. At the border, officials record passport details and collect a facial image and fingerprints. The system also logs entry and exit dates and locations.
Travellers can use the “Travel to Europe” app to pre-register data within 72 hours before entering, which may speed up border checks. Registration still happens as part of the border process. The European Commission’s EES and ETIAS guidance explains the systems’ different roles.
ETIAS requires advance approval for visa-free visitors
EES is a border-registration system. ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation for visa-free nationals making short stays in the Schengen area and Cyprus, a group of 30 European countries. It is not an application that replaces EES registration.
Once ETIAS is operational, covered travellers must apply before departure. The authorisation is linked to the passport and lasts 3 years or until that passport expires, whichever comes first. The Commission’s April 28 guidance scheduled the launch for the last quarter of 2026, with an exact start date to follow. Check its current ETIAS information before travelling.
CBP has not confirmed when routine US stamps will end
The US Customs and Border Protection announcement lists October 1, 2026, as the original date for ending routine passport admission stamps during primary processing for arriving travellers. That is not a confirmed effective date.
The proposed change concerns routine stamps at primary processing, not every US entry stamp. CBP has not confirmed when the change takes effect. Its stated plan would store proof of admission electronically instead.
UK carriers check ETA permission before travel
Since February 25, 2026, visitors from covered non-visa nationalities need an Electronic Travel Authorisation or other valid permission to travel to the UK. Carriers check permission before departure. The requirement applies to visitors from 85 nationalities, including the United States, Canada and France.
An ETA costs £16, allows multiple journeys and remains valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Applicants should allow up to three working days for a decision, according to the UK government’s ETA guidance.
British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, do not need an ETA. They must travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. An ETA can also be required for UK transit when the traveller passes through passport control.
Visitors who need an ETA can apply through the official UK ETA app. Check the applicable permission before departure and allow up to three working days for the decision.
