New Exit-Entry System at Frankfurt Airport

I have not done it in Frankfurt, but have at Amsterdam Schiphol, and many others on here have went through in various airports.

The kiosks are somewhat easy to use, you scan your passport, you get your picture taken, you place your hand on a scanner for fingerprints, then you may be asked questions, or no questions as part of the process. Pay attention at the end, the kiosk will then either direct you to an e-gate, or over to a manual booth. The process at the kiosk takes maybe 2-3 minutes.

If directed to the e-gates, you scan your passport again, smile for the camera, and out the door. If there are issues with the kiosk, or just randomly, you will go to a manual booth, then out the door.

This YouTube video may help, what you experience may not be exactly the same. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4K3zIAjYNUw

As for delays, the longest part is waiting for a manual booth, I don't think any different than the last twenty some years I have been traveling. Depending on volume, it can take minutes, in bad cases, an hour or more.,

We went through the EES kiosk in Frankfurt in February without any problem. However, with the opening of the new terminal things may be more complicated. There was a lot of buzz about problems with security screening, etc. Whether or not things are running more smoothly I don't know.

I arrived in Frankfurt on April 24th. There were a group of EES kiosks but when I went towards them I was directed to a giant line leading to the immigration officials. I had a long layover so I was not overly stressed but the line moved relatively quickly and I was to the front in about 15 minutes and entered Germany in the same way as in the past. Like I said, I had plenty of time to waste so later I went to the EES kiosks inside Germany to see how they worked and if I could do the registering so next trip I could zip through faster. The process was very fast. Insert passport and let it scan, stand still for a head photo, and put your fingers on the glass while the prints were read. I was never asked any questions. I was never quite sure if my fingers scanned correctly so did it a few times, and each time I was referred to a border control window. Since I was actually using the machines by the exit I didn't go to the window.

Two weeks later I exited via Munich. I first went to the kiosk and did the same process again, it took maybe a couple minutes at most. Once again, I was told to go to the window. I was the only person in the area at the time so had a chat with the agent. He said he had electronic records from both the Frankfurt and Munich EES machines. However, that Germany was the only country in the EES group that still requires actual entry and exit stamps in the physical passport so at least for now everyone is still directed to an immigration official.

Thank you all for your responses.

The video link was very helpful too! So I think I get the entry process.

But, how about when we fly back to the USA? Where do we check out using the EES?

We will fly from Italy to Germany…then on the USA.

Thank you once again,
Monica

When leaving, (again it may vary by airport) You again will get your passport scanned, picture taken (facial recognition, to verify that it is you) and maybe fingerprints again, then on your way. This could be done at an e-gate, or at a manned booth.

When we went through CDG Sunday, it was manned booths, they took my wife's fingerprints, but not mine.

One slight difference than any previous trips, before, couples would approach the manned booths together, now it is one by one.