End of an era: How airports can prepare for the new EU Entry Exit System

For so many decades, a passport stamp has been the ultimate symbol of a journey. But as we move toward a more digital future, those ink-filled pages are becoming a relic of the past.

Between October 2025 and April 2026, the European Union is rolling out the automated EU Entry Exit System (EES), one of the most significant shifts we have ever seen in border management.

While it represents a major step forward for security and modernization, it’s also an operational puzzle and a compliance deadline. More than anything, it is the perfect opportunity to rethink your terminal flow.

What is the EU Entry Exit System and who is it for?

The EES is a framework designed to register non-EU nationals who are traveling to the European Union. It applies to 29 European countries, including all Schengen member states.

Beyond recording entry and exit dates, the system collects biometric data like facial images and a fingerprint scan, replacing the traditional paper passport. Whether you are a visa-exempt traveller or a short-stay visa holder, the rules still apply.

This isn't just a change for travelers and border guards; it’s a challenge for the entire airport ecosystem. The big question is: how will airport operators integrate this into existing infrastructure without creating passenger chaos?

Who is responsible for the EES system itself?

The new entry/exit system is a European-built software, but there are many parties deciding which rules apply, who is responsible for what, and how it's implemented. If it's difficult to remember who takes care of which systems, here is a simple breakdown:

• European Union: They set the regulatory framework for border security and data protection guidelines for travelers.
• EU member states: They are responsible for implementing the system in their own country. It is up to them to ensure the software is supplied and functioning at all their border crossings. Member states are also tasked with developing the solutions that record a traveler's biometric data (face and fingerprint scans) and properly transmit it to the central EES.
• eu-LISA: The European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) manages the back-end of the entry exit system. They also ensure the system works with ETIAS.
• ETIAS: The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is responsible for background checks that happen before a traveler even reaches the border. For example, if a traveler from outside the European Union has overstayed their visa, ETIAS will flag the issue in the EES for border officers.
• Airport operators: Airports themselves are responsible for supplying and installing physical infrastructure like the SSKs and eGates. It's up to them to manage any "peak problems" they face by optimizing their terminals and staffing plans to prevent long queues during biometric registration.

What are airports responsible for with the new entry/exit system? 

Implementing the EES requires significant changes to hardware, software, and ways of working across the EU. Operators have to carve out room for new equipment in potentially high-traffic zones and prepare for an automated IT system to fit into their software stack.

But first, there are two types of equipment that will leave a footprint in the passenger flow: self-service kiosks (SSKs) and biometric eGates.

• Self-service kiosks (SSKs): This is where "third-country nationals", or non-EU/Schengen citizens, register and update their file in the EES. They need to scan their passport and register their fingerprints and a facial scan. SSKs take pressure off of border agents to register each traveler individually, preventing bottlenecks at passport control itself.
• Biometric eGates: Along with EU/Schengen citizens traveling to/fromEurope, this is where third-country nationals pass through. Once their identities are verified, the gates open and passengers can be well on their way to the departure gate or baggage reclaim.
  Even though this new hardware can take up a large amount of floor space, physically expanding the area isn't always the answer. It is a matter of rethinking how and when you guide passengers to and through passport control.

The resource challenge: Predicting the peak 

The first time a short-stay traveler arrives at the border of an EU/Schengen country, the initial registration process takes some time. This has the potential to create real challenges for managing high peaks at passport control.

In fact, in the first two implementation phases of the EES, European airports faced significant challenges. Processing times increased by up to 70%, and waiting times peaked at 3 hours long. Ahead of the third phase, Airports Council International raised these issues and attributed them to things like configuration problems and unpredictability in SSKs, poor usability in the pre-registration app, and an insufficient number of border guards.

However, there are several types of tools that can optimize operations when it comes to the new entry exit system:

• Border management: Look for a software that allows you to test "what-if" scenarios in terms of staffing and the number of kiosks, eGates, and lanes you need. Operational staff and border agents should be able to access the tool so everyone can better predict passenger flow and plan ahead.
• Smart shift planning: Instead of relying on spreadsheets and gut feeling, there are tools that help you schedule staff based on passenger data and predicted processing times
• Virtual queuing: You might also consider an app that offers passengers specific times in the queue so you can better manage the flow itself during periods where many passengers are registering at once.

Maintaining a good passenger experience during border checks

While the initial rollout may cause turbulence at passport control, the goal of border checks under the EES is actually to increase ease and automation for the airport. It also intends to increase convenience for non-EU nationals as they travel to and from Europe.

Communication is key at border control

Incorporating a new system is one milestone for the airport, but getting passengers used to it is a whole different one. Here are some key messages to share with citizens traveling through your airport:

• Travelers must provide a valid passport and undergo biometric registration if they are not in the EES yet.
• They can expect longer wait times during the initial implementation phase of the EES while people register their biometric data at SSKs. After that, future visits become significantly faster since the system at the eGates recognizes them.
• Travelers who refuse to provide their biometric data will be denied entry to the EU or Schengen country, because officers will not be able to complete registration.
• Children under 12 years old are exempt from providing fingerprints but will still have their faces scanned.
• EU citizens and legal residents can use their passports or ID cards as usual.

It is also a good idea to install clear signage in all relevant languages so travelers know exactly where to go and what to do. Another strategy is to add extra staff to certain shifts so they can help direct travelers through the border crossing area.

Biometric information in the era of security and data protection

With the new entry/exit system, there is no doubt a large amount of personal data being shared and stored within the software. That is why the European Commission and eu-LISA have implemented rigorous protocols when it comes to EES registration.

To prevent unauthorized access and protect the rights of every traveler, all data in the EES complies fully with the EU's strict privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

What types of data does the entry/exit system store, and for how long?

Every time a new passenger registers, or a returning passenger passes through the border crossing, EES will register the:

• Traveler's name
• Type of travel document
• Biometric data
• Date, time, and place of entry and exit

The new system will also keep track of people who were denied entry, whether that was due to an overstayed visa, refusal to provide biometrics, or other reasons.

The EES will securely store data for three to five years depending on the person's status. For most passengers, though, their personal information and biometrics are stored for 3 years and 1 day. If they have not traveled to Europe in that timeframe, the data is erased, and the passenger will have to re-register at an SSK upon arrival to an EU country. The European Union provides a full list of data rules under the EES.

Airport operators do not have access to data in the new system, but there are ways to predict peak registration periods based on passenger manifest data. For instance, if a 300-passenger flight is coming from New York, airports can see the rough percentage of non-EU nationals arriving on it. This allows them to more accurately predict how many people might need to use the SSKs and how many will go directly through the eGates. These insights allow airport operators to plan staffing and queue management accordingly.

Stay fully operational as you implement the new entry and exit system at your airport

While some airports might see implementing the EES as a bureaucratic checkmark, it's actually the perfect reason to optimize your passenger flow in and around border control.

With software modules like Better Border and Better Virtual Queueing, your teams don't have to struggle to adjust to this new way of working. Instead, you'll have the data you need to make daily operations more efficient, and travel smoother for third-country nationals.

If the EES impacts other areas in your airport, for instance delays are suddenly being felt in baggage reclaim, our other modules can find ways to fix that as well. Whatever the case, we'd love to help you say goodbye to manual stamping and welcome in a new era of operational efficiency at the EU borders.