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Passport Stamps to Become History with New Schengen Area Entry/Exit System

Passport stamps, cherished by many travelers as nostalgic reminders of their journeys, will soon be a thing of the past when entering the Schengen Area. Starting November 10, 2024, the new automated Entry/Exit System (EES) will digitally register non-EU visitors, eliminating the need for physical stamps.

The European Commission’s Department for Migration and Home Affairs explains that “EES will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time-consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings, and does not allow for systematic detection of overstayers.” The EES will be an automated IT system for registering travelers from third countries who are visa-exempt or hold short-stay visas.

Each time a person crosses an EU external border, the system will record their name, type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and facial images), and the date and place of entry and exit. It will also document any refusals of entry. The aim is to improve security in the EU and expedite the border control process for travelers through automated checks and self-service systems.

Originally set to launch in 2022, the EES has been delayed but is now confirmed to begin on November 10, 2024.

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