Starting today, the EU’s new border management system is officially fully operational at all external border crossing points of the EU, except for Cyprus and Ireland. The Entry/Exit System is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for short stays – up to 90 days in 180-day period. It replaces the old way of manually stamping passports.
Under the new system, when a non-EU national arrives at a border crossing point in the Schengen Area for the first time, the following information is registered in the system:
- passport details
- biometric data
- entry and exit records
For each subsequent entry and exit, only a quick verification will be needed, making the process faster.
The new system modernises border controls in the EU by:
- speeding up border checks, so travellers spend less time waiting
- helping border control staff work more efficiently
- improving security, by giving border and law enforcement authorities access to important traveller information
- helping prevent irregular migration
This new digital border system has been progressively rolled out across the EU since October 2025 and is fully operational as of 10 April 2026.
For more information
- Publication date
- 10 April 2026
- Author
- Directorate-General for Communication
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