New Entry System for non_EU Members (EES)

I’ve just gone through it in Madrid. Your experience should be similar, although the questions might vary slightly.

All U.S. passport holders were directed to the EES machines. There appeared to be about 35–40 machines, and all were working, but they were a bit finicky. I had to scan my passport multiple times, retake my photo, and scan my fingerprints four times.

My brother-in-law and I were asked a series of questions; my sister was not. The questions included: Are you staying long-term or do you have a visa? (No.) Purpose of visit? (Tourism.) Do you have proof of financial means? (Yes.) Type of accommodation? (Hotel.) Length of stay? (We selected our departure date on a calendar.)

After completing the process, my sister and I were directed to see a border officer, while my brother-in-law was directed to the eGates.

Next, we all went through the eGates, where we scanned our passports and had another photo taken. We then proceeded to a border officer. We approached together; the officer looked at our passports, compared them to our faces, and stamped them.

Not sure if anyone has talked about Greece specifically, but a number of reports from other Schengen arrival airports.

Probably the biggest takeaways so far are:

If the airport has always had issues, or sporadic ones (like Lisbon or CDG) then EES is not yet helping those issues, nor is it really making it worse.

My own experience pre-EES is that immigration can take 20 minutes or two hours, depending on lots of factors. So if when I go through Amsterdam in a couple weeks, if it takes an hour, is that EES, or just normal?

EES is still in a "roll-out" phase, since late last year. During this time, airports are not required to have all passengers go through EES, but are supposed to hit targets for percent passengers screened. This ends April 10th, at that time 100% EES is the goal.

So if your trip is after April 10, then, yes, I would be prepared for a delay. The process itself is quick, but it is a bit user dependent, with issues like trouble scanning the passport and fingerprints, and of course, you know, people and technology don't always mix. There is also some repetitiveness in the rollout and early days, you may do EES, then have to go to a manual booth as well.

I arrived in Athens on April 15 at 7:30 in the morning and then will spend the day/night in Athens so even if there is a long wait time and/or confusion in the new process I won't be late for anything.

However, many other people may have a connecting flight or a ferry to catch so may be problematic if things go very slow.

I will have a domestic flight to an island and I believe there is no EES involved with this.

My only concern then would be the return flight back to the US so may have to get to the airport earlier than normal which I usually do 2 hours ahead of time but that may need to be adjusted.

I guess I'll get a good idea of the process when I arrive but as one says new technology and people some times is not a good mix!

My spouse went through EES in Athens in early March at about 8PM. It was quick and not much of a line.

The length of time to do the new entry system seems to be determined by the time of day you arrive or depart and/or by how many flights arrive/depart around the same time.

Normally before the new ESS going through the process is fairly quick at the airport, usually less than one hour.

However, any time there is something new it may take more time until all problems are resolved.

Patience is a virture but missing a connection won't make up for it!

I came through last. Wednesday and, although there were signs up, they weren’t actually implementing it. I’d read on another forum that someone who came through two weeks ago waited almost three hours. There is dispensation in the regulations for waiving the new regulations at busy times (which March isn’t) but I imagine sooner or later they are going to implement it.

According to various website the EES is expected to be fully in use April 10, 2026

It looks like from that day onward the EES will be fully implemented

Since I'm arriving on April 15 this should be quite interesting to say the least but fortunately I'll be arriving April 15 early morning and won't be going anywhere by plane or ferry that day.

I will be flying April 16 to Lemnos so I shouldn't have to go through the EES for that.

Is there anything else needed other than a passport to go through EES?

There is something on the US Embassy website about EES:

Starting in 2026, American citizens traveling to most European Union countries must apply for an ETIAS authorization (European Travel Information and Authorization System).

I saw this on the US Embassy website and got a bit concerned.

ETIAS is something different that has been postponed many times. No need to worry about that until maybe last quarter of the year at the earliest.

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

For EES, you just need your passport.

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees

Carrie:

That's good news and one less thing to have to deal with.

Thanks

The European Union institutions have announced that, following the delay in the implementation of the EES, ETIAS, (which was supposed to be implemented in 2022) is again postponed to "at least 2027".

So, forget about ETIAS.

JoLui; what is your source for the Etias pushback to 2027? The official EU website still states that
Etias will start operations in the last quarter of 2026;
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

Search for recent news (last two weeks) and you will find information from several reliable sources in several European countries.

Just to confirm:

Will exiting Greece mean you'll have to go through the same process as entering?

I’m not sure how it works in Greece. In Madrid, when we were leaving, we weren’t sure if we needed to go to the EES machines so we did “just in case.” When we scanned our passports, it just said proceed to the eGates. So, you don’t have to reenter all your info. again.

So, when leaving, we used EES, which said go to eGates. So, we then went to eGates and then a passport officer to get our passports stamped.

The process was confusing, because I thought the EES machines were going to replace the “old” system with having to get passports stamped. Maybe they will at some point in the future.

The process was confusing, because I thought the EES machines were going to replace the “old” system with having to get passports stamped. Maybe they will at some point in the future.

Yes, eventually passport stamps will go away. But until everyone is logged electronically going in and out, then they keep the stamps as back-up.

But what you experienced on exit is more typical of what to expect on entry in the future. You will scan your passport at the kiosk, it will randomly ask you questions or ask you to do something, or nothing, and then off to the e-gates and out. It may be also that you will be directed straight to the e-gates.

Upon arrival at the airport do you go directly to the Kiosks first and if everything is fine you go to luggage collection and then exit airport?

Upon arrival at the airport do you go directly to the Kiosks first and if everything is fine you go to luggage collection and then exit airport?

Right now with implementation, if you are directed to the kiosks, or one is open, go there, do the process. Likely you will still be directed to a manual line to get your passport stamped, as they will likely be doing that for another few months now. There may also be e-gates for exit, you would just scan your passport at that point to get out.

Then yes, pick up your bags, through the green "nothing to declare" if that applies, and out the airport, or if it applies, on to your connecting flight.

I wish I had the concerns of this forum about the EES thing, but alas my budget says, no Greece this year. However, if/when I go I shall face another problem -- I have NO fingerprints! I've lived so long, they've worn off! Am not kidding... volunteering in Philadelphia Public Schools requires certification of no criminal record (no problem there) and also fingerprints. Both the machine method & the old-fashioned ink & paper method failed. The Police thought it was hilarious, but I can't volunteer. My son says this makes me ideal for criminal mischief... but I guess if I'm going to Europe, I'd better investigate in advance.

Janet - wow. Obviously too many years of working your fingers to the bone.

Janet, as far as I know, European regulations have addressed your situation if your fingerprints cannot be scanned:

Capturing your facial image is still mandatory. This will serve as your primary biometric key for future crossings.
The first time you will likely have to go through a customs officer. The officer will indicate in the EES database that fingerprinting is "physically impossible." This prevents the system from flagging an error during your future trips.

Alan -- yes ... a long career at the keyboard (typewriter & computer, NOT piano!)

Paul: Thanks for the help.

Another question: When departing Greece do I go to the check in kiosk with my luggage then am I directed to a place to have my luggage taken?

I can only assume that this change applies to all travelers?

https://greekreporter.com/2026/04/19/greece-drops-biometric-checks-british-tourists/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2026-04-19&utm_campaign=GR+Daily+News+Brief

Only British citizens & not sure how long for either!

As I am now on Limnos haven't really spent time on internet but just a quickn reply on my EES experience on arrival at airport

Arrived at 7:30 in the morning so not a lot of people heading to passport control.

Saw the new machines but were not in use and we were directed by attendant where to go

Short wait till agent who took my passport and photo and did my fingerprints

Whole process from entering to finish less than 15 minutes!

At some point new machines will be in use but as of April 16 were not