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The European Union (EU) will implement mandatory fingerprint and facial scans for non-EU travellers under its new Entry and Exit System (EES), starting October 12, 2025.
The rollout will begin gradually at airports and land borders, becoming fully operational on April 10, 2026, the European Commission said.
The automated EES platform will record the movements of non-EU nationals on short stays of up to 90 days within any 180 days across participating countries, including France, Spain, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting.
The system will replace traditional passport stamps with a digital record of entries and exits, speeding up border checks through self-service kiosks and pre-submitted information.
The EU said the EES will modernise border management, combat identity fraud, and monitor visa overstays. Biometric and personal data will be stored for up to three years and will not be shared with third parties.
Overstaying could result in fines, deportation, entry bans, or future visa refusals, making enforcement stricter for Nigerian and other non-EU travellers.
Initially announced in 2023, the system’s launch was postponed from 2024.
