What exactly is the EU Entry/Exit system?
Put simply, the EES is a new electronic system which will replace the physical stamping of passports when you go through passport control on arrival.
Instead, the EES will apply to people coming from what the EU calls a ‘third country’ - namely those who are not EU citizens or citizens of the Schengen area.
The EES will apply to those travelling for a short stay - visits, holidays or business trips that have a total duration of up to 90 days within a 180 day period.
All EU member states except Cyprus and Ireland, where passports will still be stamped manually, and all four non-EU Schengen countries - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland - will take part.
All entries and exits to and from the participating European countries will be recorded. In layman’s terms, that means your movements will be registered every time you cross a border in or out of the EU or Schengen area.
When the system goes live, on arriving at a new country, you’ll need to provide your passport as always, alongside having a photo of your face taken and your fingerprints scanned electronically.