Europe enters a new era of travel: Slovakia, together wit other member states, will launch the ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM /EES/ on 12 October
03. 10. 2025
The Entry/Exit System (EES) forms part of the broader European framework for interoperability, designed to strengthen the management of the European Union’s external borders, prevent irregular migration, and facilitate the effective management of migration flows. Furthermore, the EES is intended to contribute to the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and other serious criminal activities.
As of 12 October 2025, the new European Entry/Exit System will begin operating at the external Schengen borders. Slovakia, in coordination with other EU Member States, is prepared for its gradual implementation.
The EES will progressively replace the practice of manually stamping travel documents with modern electronic registration of data, including biometric identifiers (facial image and fingerprints).
This new system will enhance the security of the European Union as a whole – modernising and streamlining border control procedures, supporting the detection of identity fraud, improving the monitoring of the duration of authorised stays of third-country nationals within Member States, and strengthening the fight against terrorism and other serious crimes.
The roll-out of the EES across participating European countries will take place either in full or in phases, subject to minimum requirements. Implementation modalities may therefore differ between Member States, including in relation to the collection of biometric data (which will not be mandatory during the initial 60 days).
Travellers subject to the EES may thus experience different border control procedures depending on the crossing point. Biometric data may not be collected at all border crossings immediately upon launch, and the same applies to the registration of other travel data. In the transitional period, travel documents will continue to be stamped.
The transitional roll-out period is scheduled to last six months, with full operation of the EES across all participating countries planned from 10 April 2026. During the launch phase, travellers are advised to arrive at border control points sufficiently in advance when departing to non-Schengen destinations.
The EES will apply to third-country nationals entering the Schengen area for short stays, whether with a visa or under a visa waiver regime. Certain categories of persons are exempt, such as those holding a valid residence permit or residence card if they are direct family members of an EU citizen. A complete list of exemptions is available at the official website: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/sk/ees/ltr/to-whom-does-ees-not-apply.
The following countries will implement the EES: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Ireland and Cyprus will not introduce the EES.
For further information, please visit: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees
