EU to introduce new border checks for non-Schengen travelers: how it will work

The essence of the Schengen zone is easy travel - you cross its border once and then move freely between countries. However, it will soon become a bit more difficult for tourists from outside the Schengen area to enter.

According to Euronews, the EU's post-Brexit entry/exit system (EES) will start operating at the borders on November 10. This was confirmed by EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. According to her, carriers, operators, railway stations, airports, etc. are already preparing for the introduction of the system.

How EES will work

According to the developers, EES will be an automated check-in system for travelers from the UK and other non-EU countries who do not need an entry visa. Travelers will need to scan their passports or other travel documents at a self-service point every time they cross the EU's external border. Exceptions will be made for EU citizens or residents and people with long-term visas.

The system will register the traveler's name, biometric data, as well as the date and place of entry and exit. Face scanning and fingerprinting will be conducted every three years. The data thus obtained will be reusable - it can be used for several trips during this period.

The EES is being introduced to strengthen border security and identify travelers who exceed the permitted period of stay in the Schengen area (90 days within a 180-day period). However, the system will not work at the entrance to Cyprus, Ireland and four non-EU Schengen countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

According to Johansson, the purpose of introducing such control is to counteract illegal migration. And not only that. "The EES will make it harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports thanks to biometric identification, photos and fingerprints," she promised.

The EES was originally planned to be launched in 2022. But its implementation has faced numerous setbacks due to IT problems and delays in the installation of automated barriers. They are supposed to be operational at all land, sea and air borders in the Schengen area.

What is ETIAS and how does it differ from EES?

But this is not all the innovations that await travelers to Schengen. Approximately six months after the launch of the EES monitoring system, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will also be introduced.

This new scheme obliges non-EU nationals who do not require an EU visa to obtain authorization to enter the bloc. Its use will be mandatory for anyone who wants to visit the Schengen area for a short time.

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