The European Union starts today, Sunday, implementing a new system to register fingerprints and photos of non-EU travelers as part of a plan to enhance border security.

The EU aims, through the application of a new biometric monitoring system, to strengthen security at its external borders by requiring non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and photos upon entry or exit from its territory. The European Commission described this step as a “major security and administrative transformation” towards digitizing border crossing movements.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) replaces manual passport stamps with an electronic mechanism to record traveler data and their entry and exit dates from the Union, with the ability to detect any overstays or illegal entry attempts.

The system will be implemented gradually to avoid congestion at air and land border crossings, with some member states such as France and Germany starting limited implementation at major airports before full rollout by mid-April 2026.

Brussels explained that the gradual rollout aims to “adapt border infrastructure to the new technology and ensure adequate staff training.”

The system covers all travelers from outside the EU, including British citizens after Brexit, except those arriving in Cyprus and Ireland. The procedures also extend to countries associated with the Schengen Agreement: Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Biometric data will be stored centrally for three years, allowing identification and tracking of immigration or security violations.

The Commission believes the new system will help combat irregular migration, human trafficking, and document forgery, in addition to speeding up procedures for regular travelers.

European Commission spokesperson Anita Heib said the system “will make Europe’s borders safer without undermining the freedom of movement,” noting it will be accompanied in the future by the launch of the digital travel authorization called “ETIAS,” scheduled for 2026.