EU launches new digital border system to replace passport stamping

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The EU has begun rolling out a new digital border system that will record the entry and exit of travelers to and from the Schengen Area.

From Oct. 12, EU Member States will start introducing the Entry/Exit System (EES), which will digitally register the data of non-EU nationals crossing the EU’s external borders for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

According to the European Commission, the system will be gradually implemented over six months, allowing countries to decide when and where to start using it.

“This allows Member States to start benefitting from the new system, whilst ensuring that border authorities, the transport industry and travellers can adjust to the new procedures,” a commission statement said.

Once the roll-out is complete, passport stamping will be replaced by electronic records. The EES will track border crossings, help detect overstayers, and identify cases of document and identity fraud.

The commission said that with the increased use of automated border checks, traveling would become “smoother and safer for all.”

At border points where the new system is in place, non-EU travelers will have their passport data, facial image, fingerprints, and entry or exit data registered the first time they cross.

For later trips, only a fast verification will be required.

Some countries may also add self-service systems to further automate the process.

The EU said the EES meets the highest standards of data and privacy protection, ensuring travelers’ personal information remains “protected and secure.”

Passport stamping will continue during the six-month transition period while the new system is introduced across all border points.