EES, the EU Entry/Exit System: what it changes for your 90 days
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the EU’s automated border record for non-EU visitors on short stays. It has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 and replaces passport stamps. It records each entry and exit, and flags anyone who stays longer than the 90/180 rule allows.
Checked against official sources on 10 November 2026. Not legal advice.
When did the EES start?
- 12 October 2025: the EES started operations in stages.
- 10 April 2026: the European Commission declared it fully operational in all Schengen countries using it, and it replaced passport stamping.
Who does the EES apply to?
Non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, with or without a visa. It runs at the external borders of the 29 Schengen countries. Cyprus and Ireland still stamp passports by hand. Some people are exempt, including holders of residence permits and long-stay visas.
What does the EES record?
- Your name, travel document details, fingerprints and a facial image.
- The date and place of each entry and exit, and any refusal of entry.
- Records of entries and exits are kept for 3 years. If no exit is recorded, your file is kept for 5 years from the end of your authorised stay.
What does the EES change for the 90/180 rule?
- The limit is unchanged: at most 90 days in any 180, counted as one period across all the countries using the EES.
- The EES works out your authorised stay from its own record instead of passport stamps.
- If you stay too long, you’re added to a list of overstayers that border, immigration and visa staff can see. See what happens if you overstay.
- The EU says the remaining stay the EES shows leaves out any time in the area that began before 10 April 2026.
How can you check your remaining days?
The EU’s official EES website has an online tool. You enter your passport details, the dates you intend to enter and leave, and your destination, and it answers “OK” or “not OK” with the days you have left. Passport control officers can also tell you.
Why keep your own count?
- The EES tool shows your remaining days but doesn’t plan around trips you’ve already booked.
- A count of your own lets you check a trip before you book it. Use the Schengen calculator, or keep your trips in the Tally app and see the date to leave by.
The 90/180 rule guide explains the counting itself, and ways to count Schengen days compares the tools.
Questions
Is the EES the same as ETIAS?
No. The EES records your entries and exits at the border. ETIAS is a travel authorisation you’ll apply for online before you travel. ETIAS is not in operation yet.
Do I have to register in advance?
No. The EES creates your record when you first cross the border. Refusing to give biometric data means you will be refused entry.
Can I see what the EES has recorded?
Yes. You have the right to access and correct your data.