EU to Introduce Digital Entry/Exit System in November 2024
As of November 2024, the European Union will introduce a new digital system, the Entry/Exit System (EES), replacing passport stamps for travelers at the external borders of the Schengen area.
Flashback: This reform, adopted on May 24, 2024, aims to modernize entry procedures for countries in the Schengen area and facilitate the management of migration flows.
Currently, travelers must have their passport stamped at each border crossing, attesting to their legal entry and authorized stay duration.
This process will be fully automated starting November 10, 2024, thanks to the EES, a digital registration system. This new device will not apply to internal movements within the Schengen area but will only concern non-EU citizens crossing external borders.
Travelers making short stays, i.e., 90 days over a 180-day period, will be the first affected by this reform. However, EU citizens, residents, and long-stay visa holders will be exempt from this new procedure.
The reform will be applied in all EU member states, except Cyprus and Ireland, and in four non-EU countries that are part of the Schengen area: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
