The European Entry-Exit-System (EES) will be launched in Germany on 12 October 2025. The digital system will initially be introduced at Düsseldorf Airport, followed by Frankfurt and Munich. All other external air and sea borders will follow step by step by April 2026 at the latest. The EES is a digital system that records the entry and exit of people travelling from outside the EU. Both visa-exempt travellers and people with short-stay visas are affected.
The EES replaces the stamp system in passports with a digital recording system. The following data are recorded:
- name, date of birth, travel document
- time and place of entry and exit
- fingerprints
- facial image
Travelers can submit their fingerprints and facial images at a self-service kiosk. If the person is not yet registered in the EES, the machine will save the data in a file. If such a personal file already exists, it is updated. Border control officers then check the authenticity of the information. People who have a chip-based, biometric ID document can also complete this step automatically. Their biometric data read out at the self-service kiosk is then checked by scanners in the "eGate".
At Düsseldorf Airport, the entry areas for the non-EU zones will be extended. Additional control lanes will be created and the waiting areas enlarged. Intelligent queueing systems will control the flow of passengers. A total of 35 self-service kiosks will also be available for pre-registration on entry and exit. Nevertheless, there may be delays in check-in, especially in the initial phase. However, as soon as the system is established, the processes should become faster.
Nothing will change for EU citizens - only travelers from non-EU countries will be affected, including many trade fair visitors from important markets such as China, Turkey, the USA, the UK and India. In 2024 alone, 63,400 exhibiting companies and over one million visitors came from countries outside the EU.
EES - How will the EES work? How will border controls work in future?
