The European Commission confirmed that the Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. The rollout began on 12 October 2025 and took six months; it now covers all external borders of the Schengen area — airports, sea ports and land crossings.
What happens at the border now
- No stamp. The date and place of every entry and exit go into the system.
- A photo of your face is taken at the border.
- Fingerprints are not taken again if you hold a visa. You gave them when you applied; at the border they are only checked against that record. Travellers who do not need a visa give fingerprints at their first crossing.
What it means if you travel on a visa
The rule itself has not changed: up to 90 days in any 180. What has changed is how it is enforced. The system counts the days for you — and against you. An overstay of a single day is recorded automatically and is visible to every consulate when you apply next time.
Two practical points. Keep your own count of days before each trip: a stamp in the passport no longer proves anything, the database does. And leave more time at the border on your first trip after the change, while your record is being created.