Starting October 12, the European Union will introduce a new digital border system, marking the end of the traditional passport stamping routine. Instead, anyone entering France or another EU country, such as Spain, will need to provide either a fingerprint or a facial scan, or potentially both..

France’s move is part of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System, known as EES, and it’s set to affect millions of travelers the moment it takes effect.

So what exactly is this EES, and why is France about to start collecting fingerprints and facial scans from visitors? Don’t worry, I have you covered, and we’ve developed a travel tracker to help you stay up to date, the France Entry Checker for U.S. Travelers. Remember to bookmark this page so you can come back to it any time.

What Does EES Mean?

EES stands for Entry/Exit System, and it’s the European Union’s new way of handling border checks. The long-standing passport stamp will soon be retired. I know we have to move forward and make things quicker and easier with more people traveling, but I loved collecting stamps in my passport when I traveled. However, that will soon be a thing of the past in the EU.

Until now, when Americans arrived in France, the process was relatively straightforward. You’d head straight to the immigration desk, answer a few questions about your trip, and the border agent would decide whether to let you in. If all was fine, your passport got its entry stamp.

That routine is about to change. Under the EES, stamps won’t be used anymore. Instead, travelers will need to show their passports and also provide biometric details. That means four fingerprints and a facial scan will be required before you can officially enter.

According to EU officials, your biometric details will be stored on file for a period of three years. The idea is that once you’ve gone through the first registration, future trips will be much smoother. On your next arrival, it should be as simple as looking into a scanner to confirm your identity, and the automated gate will take care of the rest.

Data to be Collected

• Date and time of each entry and exit
• Place of each entry and exit
• Traveler’s surnames and first names
• Passport number
• Traveler’s photo
• Traveler’s fingerprints
• Facial image and fingerprints (called ‘biometric data’)
• Any decision to refuse entry for a short stay

The new system only applies to travelers using a passport from outside the EU or Schengen area. There are, however, a few exceptions, such as non-EU citizens who already reside in an EU country.

In practice, the largest group affected will be tourists and anyone visiting France for a short stay.

When Does the EES Start?

The start date for the Entry/Exit System has been pushed back several times. Officials were worried that countries weren’t ready and that the new checks might cause chaos at the border.

To avoid gridlock, the EU decided on a phased introduction. The new checks will be added gradually over a six-month period. That means different entry points will start at different times, and not every traveler will be required to register with EES immediately. Travel operators will also be allowed to pause checks if the lines get too long.

Airports

Airports will also see a gradual introduction starting October 12. The plan is to expand EES across all French airports within six months; however, the interior ministry has not yet announced which airports will be the first to implement the expansion.

Port of Dover

• October 12: Coach passengers will be the first group required to register. They’ll need to disembark at the new Western Docks facility, complete the process at EES kiosks, go through passport control, then re-board before moving on to the ferry terminal.
• November 1: Registration expands to all passengers. The port will have 72 self-registration kiosks available for car travelers.

Dover has long been a pressure point since Brexit, when manual passport stamping became necessary. Summer holidays in particular have seen long traffic jams and spillover congestion into the town. The phased rollout is designed to ease that strain, and operators can temporarily suspend registration if queues become unmanageable.

Port of Calais

Unlike Dover, Calais has handled post-Brexit checks with fewer issues. Authorities don’t expect serious problems as EES is introduced. It remains unclear whether all passengers will need to register on October 12 or if the rollout will be staggered.

Eurostar

• October 12: The first group will be premier class passengers and Carte Blanche members, Eurostar’s frequent traveler club. Registration at this stage is voluntary, but if you travel regularly, it’s a good idea to get it done early while things are still quiet. This applies at Paris Gare du Nord, London St Pancras, Lille, and Brussels.
• January 12: As of this date, all Eurostar passengers will be required to complete EES registration, making it no longer optional.

First-time non-EU visitors will be required to provide fingerprints, a facial scan, a brief questionnaire, and a passport scan. After that, only light checks will be needed on future trips.

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle

• October 12: The process begins with coaches and freight.
• November/December: The checks will be expanded to all other passengers, though the exact date still needs confirmation from French authorities.

Eurotunnel has invested €80 million in the new infrastructure, with upgraded terminals in Folkestone and Coquelles designed to handle up to 550 vehicles an hour, or about 1,500 passengers. Major delays are not expected. 

Border Crossing Points With Pre-registration for ESS 

This list is taken from the list on the Ministère de l'intérieur website:

At the following airports:

• Roissy-Charles de Gaulle
• Orly
• Bâle-Mulhouse
• Beauvais
• Bordeaux
• Lyon
• Marseille
• Montpellier
• Nantes
• Nice
• Strasbourg
• Toulouse

At the following stations:

• Gare du Nord - France (Eurostar)
• St Pancras Station - London (Eurostar)
• Coquelles Terminal - France (Eurotunnel)
• Folkestone Terminal - United Kingdom(Eurotunnel)

In the following ports:

• Caen
• Calais
• Cherbourg
• Dieppe
• Douvres
• Dunkerque
• Le Havre
• Marseille
• Roscoff
• Saint-Malo
• Sete

How Will EES Registration Work?

If you’re flying into Paris, for example, instead of heading straight to an immigration booth for non-Europeans, you’ll be directed to an EES kiosk.

It functions like a check-in and check-out system. You will first scan your passport and wait for your details to appear on the screen. Then you’ll be asked to provide fingerprints and have your photo taken. After that, a short set of security questions will appear for you to answer.

The system is designed to be simple, and in theory, it should reduce long waits at passport control. At busy times, especially when several flights land close together, those lines could drag on for hours.

How Is EES Different From ETIAS?

This is where many travelers get confused. ETIAS is another acronym you’ll see floating around, but it doesn’t mean the same thing as EES. They are two separate systems that serve different purposes.

EES is the physical registration that takes place at the border. It involves providing your fingerprints and other biometric details, replacing the old system of passport stamps.

ETIAS, on the other hand, is a digital travel permit that you’ll need to apply for before coming to Europe. It will cost 20 euros and isn’t expected to launch until April 2026.