Starting October 12, 2025, the European Union is officially ditching old-school passport stamps 🛂 and launching its biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) across 29 Schengen countries.

👁️ Your face and fingerprints are now your digital passport.

At airports, train stations, and seaports, you’ll scan through futuristic e-gates — no stamps, no border officer, just a fast, secure, sci-fi-level experience.

📌 Who does this affect?
✅ Non-EU travelers entering or leaving the Schengen Area (e.g., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, etc.)
❌ Does not apply to EU citizens, Ireland, or Cyprus.

🧠 What’s Collected?
• Facial scan
• Fingerprints
• Name & Passport details
• Entry/Exit timestamps & location
All securely stored in a shared EU system to monitor overstays and track movements.

🔐 Why the change?
• Prevent passport fraud
• Speed up border control
• Better track overstays
• Reduce illegal migration

🛫 Bonus Tip: This is separate from ETIAS, the electronic travel permit launching in mid-2025, which will be mandatory for visa-free travelers to Europe.

Get ready to travel smarter!

Source: Only Engineers Can Understand