The European Union (EU) will require non-EU travelers to undergo fingerprint and facial scans as part of its new Entry and Exit System (EES), with initial implementation beginning on October 12, 2025.
The European Commission stated that the rollout will start gradually at airports and land borders, becoming fully operational on April 10, 2026.
The EES is an automated system designed to track the movements of non-EU nationals on short stays whenever they cross the external borders of participating countries, including France, Spain, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The system applies to all non-EU travelers staying up to 90 days within any 180-day period, though children under 12 will be exempt from fingerprint collection.
The EU noted that the EES will replace traditional passport stamping with a digital system that logs entries and exits, streamlining border checks and improving efficiency for staff.
Travelers are expected to spend less time at border crossings, benefiting from faster checks, self-service kiosks, and the option to submit information in advance.
“The EES will modernize border management, help combat identity fraud, and monitor visa overstays,” the EU said. “By replacing passport stamps with a digital record of entry and exit, border checks will be quicker, and staff will be able to work more efficiently.”
Biometric and personal data collected under the system will be stored for up to three years and will not be shared with third parties.
The EU also warned that the EES will significantly tighten enforcement, making overstays riskier for Nigerian travelers and other non-EU nationals, potentially resulting in entry bans, visa refusals, fines, or deportation.
Initially announced in 2023 and scheduled to launch in 2024, the system’s rollout was later postponed to allow for phased implementation.
