The first two countries rolling out Europe’s new EES fingerprint system in 12 days time

In less than two weeks, the EU’s new digital border control system will start rolling out. The Entry/Exit System, commonly known as ESS, applies to non-EU nationals travelling in the Schengen Area — the border-free zone covering29 European countries. The new system will replace manual passport stamping — the idea being that it will speed up border checks and better detect fraud. The EES rolls out on 12 October 2025, but so far, only two countries are ready to implement it: Estonia and Luxembourg. Non-EU nationals, including British citizens, who enter the Schengen zone for short stays will be required to register.