EES Rollout

This article updated on 10/10/2025 has a little more information about which ports of entry will be implementing ESS on 10/12 and to what extent.

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/10/10/eu-announces-launch-date-for-entryexit-system-heres-how-travellers-can-prepare

There is a small airport in the SW of France (Bergerac) that will have the EES operation on 12 October. This may not affect many of the RS travelers but I thought it was an interesting choice as there are a number of British who use this airport. My point...don't assume the rollout will only be at the large airports.

My point...don't assume the rollout will only be at the large airports.

It will affect all Schengen points of entry, Airports, Land crossings, and Ports; big and small. So at least expect it.

But then, really, there is nothing to even be concerned about. The process the first time likely will take no longer than what it took previously, with subsequent times being much quicker.

It will affect all Schengen points of entry, Airports, Land crossings, and Ports; big and small. So at least expect it.

The point is that on Eurostar for example it will only apply to Eurostar Premier ticket holders from 12 October- not to Standard or Standard Premier tickets- they will be following after Christmas.

Likewise for those travelling from Dover only bus passengers and truck drivers will be in the first phase of rollout.

And as another example, Berlin is using it on only one flight on day 1.

It will affect all Schengen points of entry,

Yes, gradually, up through next April when it is scheduled to be in use at all these points of entry. To start off, though, it is only some.

I saw a video put out by a UK news reporter using the new EES terminals. He filmed all the steps, the prompts and how the finger print gizmo works. It went pretty quickly but all I can say is wow, that is a germ incubation chamber. Take your sanitizer of choice. People from all over the world fresh off a plane rolling fingers around in the little cubby trying to get just the right placement. Just saying. How soon we forget...

This guy does an Awesome job explaining the rollout on Istagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPlga2VjrCF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I head to Vienna on Monday. I'll report back on how it went.

Sorry, I fail to see peoples level of concern. The current method is inefficient, you stand in line, go to a person, they pepper you with questions, or not, stamp your passport with a usually illegible stamp (look at your passport, try to decipher them all). Then move you on.

The e-gates will be quicker, even the first time having to register your fingerprint is not much of a delay, and you are on your way. No twenty booths with only three agents available to work,

One only needs to look to experiences entering the UK, once they allowed US and other nationalities to use the e-gates, Heathrow went from horror story to barely a blip to pass through.

My biggest concern for me (for my job I have to be fingerprinted yearly for a background check) is getting the fingerprints to register. It is only as good as the equipment and how clean it stays. As you age the harder to get the prints to take on those machines. I hope they work efficiently. I would really like to hear anyone’s experience. I have to fly to Munich the end of March. Luckily a direct flight so no time constraints.

If you watch this video, you can see the entire regisration process including how they get fingerprints:

https://youtu.be/RaiszoFXinM?si=gYv-f7hhMNQNMAF5

Went through Malaga on the 12th and they weren't implementing the new system, it was still just a passport stamp. It was actually the quietest I've experienced at the airport and we were through in no time. All the shiny new e-gates are all still wrapped in plastic as they have been for well over a year waiting for the implementation of the new system.

I just read a post from Time Out mentioning that there had been four-hour delays for people entering some of the larger airports (ex.: Amsterdam). Yikes.

We are flying from France to Portugal in a few days. We entered France on September 1st. I’m assuming this won’t affect us…but maybe it will? Does anyone know?

“I just read a post from Time Out mentioning that there had been four-hour delays for people entering some of the larger airports (ex.: Amsterdam). Yikes.”

@Janet;
Can you please place a link to the Time Out post? Amsterdam Airport only starts with EES on November 3, 2025. So it’s not yet operational. When I arrived at Amsterdam airport a few days ago, passport control was a breeze without any issues. And most certainly not a 4 hour wait, maybe only 4 minutes. So I’m very curious where Time Out based their post on.

This seems to be the article (dated 13 October)- https://www.timeout.com/news/these-are-apparently-europes-worst-airports-for-delays-due-to-new-entry-exit-system-ees-101325

It says-
At the moment, bigger airports are likely to have longer wait times. According to the Independent, which has analysed flight arrival times across several major European airports, mornings at Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris Charles de Gualle could be particularly painful. The Independent also mentioned Faro, Palma de Mallorca, Milan Malpensa, and Heraklion as being potentially overloaded.**

This is the base article (written on 10 October) by Simon Calder (a well known travel "motor mouth") based on speculation by Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership [a Travel Agents mainly for businesses], was speaking to the BBC Today programme-
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/eu-entry-exit-system-delay-arrival-flight-b2843028.html

There is another article about delays at Prague airport- https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/ees-border-checks-start-long-queues-at-prague-airport-but-france-calm/748078

I’ve read both articles that isn31c linked to, but neither article mentions anything about a current 4 hour delay at Amsterdam Airport due to EES. Both articles only talk about what could potentially happen when EES has come into effect.
So I don’t think that the linked article is the one that Janet read. There must be another one which mentions that there are, at present, 4 hour delays at Amsterdam. Hopefully Janet can shed some light on this and share the article she read.

These types of articles are starting to pop up. Hopefully things will calm down in a couple of months?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-15201097/Passengers-miss-flight-long-passport-control-queues-major-European-city.html

https://etias.com/articles/technical-glitches,-long-queues-mark-eu%E2%80%99s-entry/exit-system-rollout

I found this that talks about Amsterdam
https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/2122731/two-hour-long-queues-airport-new-eu-system

I’m not saying one shouldn’t see an English tabloid as a reliable source, but it’s a fact that Amsterdam Airport hasn’t started with EES yet. They will only start to phase in EES from November 3, 2025 onwards. https://www.schiphol.nl/en/prepare-for-your-flight-at-schiphol/ees/?_gl=1*dfgqiq*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTE3MjczNzE4NS4xNzYwNzM5MDE5*_ga_SY55X9B9Q6*czE3NjA3MzkwMTgkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjA3MzkwMTgkajYwJGwwJGg4MTA3NjkwNQ..

I saw it on Facebook and didn't delve into it - sorry!

I received my passport for this summer's trip, done in 2 parts. It took a week and a half.

Therefore, the passport has 4 stamps, 2 upon arrival in CDG and 2 upon departure from CDG.. True, the very first stamp is rather light and easy to miss, the other 3 luckily are not like that at all. Those stamps are dark and discernible , just as I wanted them.

Hopefully next summer's trip will be the same dark and discernible stamps from CDG.

I am curious as to how this will work if you have any hand injuries. My DH was involved in an industrial accident years ago and has two fingers that cannot lie flat, nor have fingerprints as skin from other areas of the body were used during reconstruction. I guess we will find out in September.

Dutch Traveler, you are right, we should all delve a bit deeper especially on something like this that will involve quite a few of us on here traveling to and within Europe.

https://www.government.nl/topics/holidays-and-travels/ees/entry-and-exit-checks-at-the-dutch-border

Let’s hope that the problems that are being accurately reported at some of the airports are not a sign of what is to initially come at all the airports.