A implemented an electronic visitor entry registration system this Friday (April 10, 2026). The change eliminates stamps in passports and establishes a biometric database through the EES (Entry/Exit System), an electronic system for controlling the entry and exit of foreigners in the Schengen Area.
The new procedure, whose gradual implementation in October, it applies to travelers from outside the European Union who disembark in one of the bloc’s countries, with the exception of Ireland and Cyprus, and 4 other associated countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
OPERATION
International visitors must use self-service totems at entry points. The equipment scans passports and collects biometric data. The information includes fingerprints and facial photo.
After electronic registration, travelers undergo assistance with immigration agents. The system stores data for 3 years and automatically calculates the authorized length of stay, which remains up to 90 days every 180 days.
Storage allows you to speed up future entry processes. Collection will be made at the first access to the Schengen territory, at airports, ports, railway terminals and bus stations. On subsequent trips, facial identification is enough, without the need to repeat the complete procedure.
The EES is part of the European “smart borders” program, which aims to modernize migration control and prepare for the launch of electronic authorization that will be required in the future from visa-exempt foreigners, including Brazilians.
