We’ve heard about the ETIAS (and the fee attached to it), which non-EU travelers will need in order to travel to Europe starting in 2025. Now, you should also know about the EES, which is a different thing but still something you’ll need to do to enter EU territories.
Dubbed the post-Brexit Entry-Exit System, the EES is an automated registration system that non-EU travelers who don’t require a visa to enter the EU (including UK travelers) must do when entering select European countries. Those include all EU member states (except Cyprus and Ireland) and four non-EU countries in the Schengen Area: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
The way it works is pretty simple. Upon entering one of the applicable countries from an external EU border, travelers will have to scan their passport or travel document at self-service kiosks (or, in some countries, even on mobile apps). That way, the traveler’s information, such as name, biometric data, and both entry and exit date and place, will be recorded. Legal residents and long-term visa holders will be exempt from the EES procedure.
Air borders, maritime borders, and international land locations in the Schengen Area will be equipped with automated EES barriers, which will scan and check travelers’ EES registrations through border guards or e-gates.
When will the EES launch?
Initially, the new registration system was supposed to launch in 2022 but was postponed to May 2023. Then, it was once again delayed until the end of the year, and after that, it was postponed to 2024, according to Euronews. At the time, officials said the multiple pushbacks had to do with reported difficulties linked to contractors not meeting deadlines.
Earlier this year, EU’s Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson seemingly confirmed that the EES would officially be implemented starting November 10. As Euronews reports, though, that date might change again, and the program could start one week later, on November 17. Reportedly, a few European countries claimed their borders would not be ready to implement the system, hence the latest pushback. Currently, officials are unsure whether or not the program will, in fact, launch in November.
What’s the difference between the ETIAS and the EES?
Don’t worry if you’re confused about the difference between the ETIAS and the EES; we’re here to help. While the ETIAS is, de facto, a visa waiver similar to the US ESTA (which is needed by non-American tourists), the EES is simply an entry and exit pass. According to the ETIAS website, the EES “records every migration in the external Schengen area borders,” and both the ETIAS and the EES are made to ensure the safety of all individuals. Basically, the EES will track how long a person stays in the Schengen Area to ensure that nobody overstays their permitted 90 days within a 180-day timeframe.
Source link : https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/ees-tourist-registration-system-europe-explainer
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Publish date : 2024-10-17 07:00:00
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