You don’t have to pay yet.
On Oct. 12, the European Union (EU) implemented the Entry/Exit System (EES) after long delays. Under the new regulation, 29 Schengen countries will require non-EU travelers to register at border entry and exit points. Data on American travelers, including facial images and fingerprints, will be collected and verified each time they cross into participating countries. There are no other changes in effect at this time.
(The Schengen area comprises 25 of the EU’s 27 member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Norway. Cyprus and Ireland are EU members but not part of Schengen.)
Scammers are taking advantage of confusion between EES and ETIAS, which is a travel authorization for visa-exempt travelers. ETIAS is not yet in effect, and travelers do not need to apply for it. However, fake websites claim to offer the service. U.K.-based travel association ABTA warned, “People who try to apply for an ETIAS now may be at risk of fraud, with a loss of money and possibly personal data too.”
Related: 11 Scams Targeting Tourists in Europe
EES Vs ETIAS
EES applies to non-EU, visa-exempt travelers and those with a short-stay visa. On a traveler’s first arrival, passport officers will capture photographs and fingerprints and register the crossing. The data will be stored in the system for three years. Travelers will be required to provide biometric data on their first arrival, but subsequent checks may be quicker since officers will only need to confirm what is stored in the system.
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If you have a biometric passport (which already contains your data), you may be able to use self-service kiosks. The kiosks will register your crossing and check whether your data is in the system. You then proceed to the border-control lane, where an officer will have your information ready, including the remaining days of your authorized stay, and may ask additional questions. You do not need a biometric passport to enter the EU; your data can be collected manually.
The EU introduced EES to make border checks more efficient and secure. It will store information about entries and exits of non-EU nationals and help identify people who have overstayed their visas. If someone is denied entry or detained, that information will also be stored in the system. The data may be shared with local police and other law enforcement agencies in the EU.
Although EES launched this week, not all countries and border points have implemented it. It is being deployed in phases and will be fully implemented by April 10, 2026. “This means that travellers’ biometric data (facial image and fingerprints) might not be collected at every border crossing point right away, and their personal information may not be registered in the system. Passports will continue to be stamped as usual,” the website clarifies. Once it is fully operational, passport stamping will stop.
Meanwhile, the EU is also working on ETIAS. Under the yet-to-be-introduced policy, travelers will need to apply for authorization before their visit. The application will cost €20 and will cover 30 European countries for stays up to 90 days. After years of delays, ETIAS is now slated for launch in the last quarter of 2026, and you do not need to take any action now to travel to EU countries.
When it is launched, travelers will be able to apply on the official website. Do not use third-party websites or apps that claim to offer the service. The U.S. has a similar system, ESTA, which requires travelers from visa-exempt countries to complete an application before their visit.
