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If you go to Europe next year, you might not get your passport stamped. Here’s why: The European Union is putting in place a new digital system that will replace stamping passports when you arrive.
If a new screening system is put in place next year, you may no longer need to get your passport stamped when you go to Europe.
An EU representative told Travel + Leisure this week that 28 European countries, including France, Greece, and Spain, are expected to adopt the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which will replace passport stamping with a high-tech scanning process.
In particular, the EES is a digital platform that uses face scans and fingerprint scans to collect biometric data. Those who refuse to give the biometric information needed for screening will not be allowed into the country.
The EU representative also told T+L that the programme is still being worked on and that countries and business partners are “continuing their preparations” for its planned launch in 2024. But the EES could start sooner, depending on when different countries are ready to join.
Here, travellers can find out what’s happening with the ESS programme.
“The biggest benefit of the EES is that it saves time, says the website for the programme.” The EES takes the place of passport stamps and automates border control procedures, making it easier for travellers to go to European countries.
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland will all eventually join the ESS.
According to the EES website, a traveller’s passport will still require manual stamping even though Cyprus and Ireland are members of the European Union.
The programme is being made at the same time as the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which will charge foreign visitors to Europe a small fee (€7 or $7.42) to enter the European Union (EU).
The EU representative told T+L that data from the ETIAS and ESS would be used together to figure out how dangerous a traveller might be.
Before the big passport change, U.S. travellers were recently told to renew their passports now.
This is because summer travel is expected to cause delays, and passports take eight to eleven weeks to process on average.
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