EES procedures for non-Schengen travelers without biometric passports
Subrata is planning a trip to Italy and Switzerland next month and is curious about the Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-biometric passport holders. They seek guidance on potential delays at border control and the overall process upon arrival in Schengen countries.
- Non-biometric passport holders need to provide their photo and fingerprints the first time they enter Schengenland, and their data will be entered into the EES system.
- Expect longer waiting times during busy periods due to the new EES, so arrive early at the airport to allow for delays.
- Always check with the Passport Control Officer if your data has been uploaded to the EES to avoid issues when exiting.
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I am curious to know how the Entry / Exit system works for citizens of countries that have yet to issue biometric passports. Are such visitors managed by the conventional manual immigration control system, or are they also handled through the EES system that is currently under implementation? More particularly, are such visitors likely to face significant delays at the border control? Any information or experiences (other than that as already covered in the thread initiated by Lioner) would be most welcome, as I have an upcoming trip to Italy & Switzerland next month.
Regards
Subrata
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Hello sgain Subrata
Very many thanks for your willingness to participate in the discussion about EES.
The EES is separate from the ‘normal’ Passport system.
The EES applies to all non-Schengenlanders who want to enter a Schengenland country. It is IRRELEVANT whether your passport is ‘biometric’ or not.
On your first entry to Schengenland after October 11 2025, your photo and FINGERPRINTS should be taken. These (and your date of first entry) will be entered on to a computerised system run by the Schengenland countries.
The purpose of this system is to prevent Non-Schengenlanders from exceeding the ‘90 days in the last 180’ limit to stays in Schengenland. It will only work if ALL EXITS from Schengenland and ALL ENTRIES to Schengenland are entered onto the EES computers. (Lioner’s problem has arisen because it seems that his ‘exit’ on Dec 10 was not recorded on the EES computer.)
Delays caused by EES registrations.
First read the section of my Reply 2 in Lioner’s thread headed My experience on 22nd December.
I was very lucky. Others have not been. Now read the thread started by Swiss Teddy, and the very sympathetic and helpful reply from Moderator ANNA.
The problem is that Teddy’s group is due to arrive in Schengenland at 15 55 (3 55 pm) in the afternoon. They then have to go through the EES process, which MAY take a lot of time. After that they have a FOUR-HOUR train ride (with two changes of train) to Grindelwald.
Flying into Schengenland followed by a long train journey.
I will have to generalise. If you arrive into Schengenland in the morning, then provided the train service is FREQUENT, then it should be OK to proceed to your resort the same day.
But if the arrival is past lunchtime, the situation becomes increasingly risky. I personally would book accommodation for one night at or near the airport. (On 22 December my resort was Zurich itself.)
Kind regards
Roger
Hello Roger,
Thanks a lot for your very helpful inputs on the current hot topic of EES. I had raised my query based on my recall of an explanation of the process in a youtube video about a month back put out by a travel expert (probably from Spain or Portugal) wherein it was indicated that, apart from capturing the fingerprints and iris scan, the passport has also to be scanned in a EES kiosk PRIOR TO proceeding to the Immigration booth. It was also mentioned that non-biometric passport holders would be directed to a separate queue. I quite appreciate that, at the end of the day, the objective is to capture data of all arrivals & departures in the EES database. In case you, or any of the other esteemed members in this forum, is aware of the sequence of steps to be followed by non-biometric passport holders (assuming, of course, that there is indeed a separate process for such passport holders) I would much appreciate it if further inputs could be provided for my information and guidance.
Regards
Subrata
Hello Subrata
You write. ‘my recall of an explanation of the process in a youtube video about a month back put out by a travel expert (probably from Spain or Portugal) wherein it was indicated that, apart from capturing the fingerprints and iris scan, the passport has also to be scanned in a EES kiosk PRIOR TO proceeding to the Immigration booth. It was also mentioned that non-biometric passport holders would be directed to a separate queue.’
I watch a lot of youtube travel videos. However, I also know that they do not always get things right. The ‘travel expert’ was (I think) talking about what is happening in their own home country.
I can only talk about what happened at Zurich Airport on 22nd December. There the arrivals hall had been re-organised; it was somewhat different from previous visits. In my first reply to Lioner I wrote
It appears that additional booths have been installed in the immigration area to deal with people like me (and Lioner) who are not Schengenland nationals. I went to one of these new booths. There were just two people in front of me…..It was taking less than a minute per person. My god was I relieved that the process was so simple AND QUICK!I would add (and STRESS) that I was NOT then sent on to a different booth/kiosk for immigration. Everything was done at one of these new booths. It was done VERY EFFICIENTLY.
I would however also stress that I do not know how EES registrations are being conducted at Italian airports.
The matter which all Non-Schengenlanders need to worry about is not the exact procedure used to collect the biometric information. That may well vary from country to country. But that is unimportant. On arrival just go where you are told to go!
What matters is that the EES may cause delays in arrivals halls. And that (as Anna explains in her reply to Swiss Teddy and I explain in my previous reply) you need to take into acount in your planning of how you get from the Airport to your resort.
Kind regards
Roger
Hello again Roger,
I now understand that the youtuber, whose video I had watched, may have been referring to the systems & practices followed in a particular country (or countries). I have no hesitation in accepting your advice to simply follow the instructions on arrival! However, I will make it a point, in my own interest, to enquire from the Passport Control Officer whether our data (i.e. that of me & my wife) have been uploaded in the EES database. I hope the Passport Control Officer obliges, at least at Zurich Airport, from where we will leave the country & Schengen domain.Regards
Subrata
Hello Subrata
However, I will make it a point, in my own interest, to enquire from the Passport Control Officer whether our data (i.e. that of me & my wife) have been uploaded in the EES database. I hope the Passport Control Officer obliges, at least at Zurich Airport, from where we will leave the country & Schengen domain
Thank you, thank you, thank you! In the light of Lioner’s unfortunate experience that is an absolutely crucial point which we all need to follow!
Very best wishes.
Roger
Hi Subrata,
With the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), people from countries outside the EU must have their photo taken and give their fingerprints the first time they enter the Schengen area or Switzerland. Essentially, this means passports will no longer be stamped manually. Instead all entries and exits will be recorded digitally in the system.Because the system is still in the roll out stage, longer waiting and checking times are expected especially during busy period. So please arrive at the airport in good time and allow for delays upon arrival at the airport.
Anna
Thank you Anna for this information. It appears that the Passport Control Officer will either scan the passport for direct upload of the data in the EES system (in the case of biometric passports) or manually enter the data in the case of non-biometric passports. I will certainly keep in mind the advice given by you as well as Roger to allow sufficient time to go through the passport control process in planning the overall time budget for the travel itinerary.
Anyway, let me experience the process myself next month! In the meanwhile I will look forward to anyone in this forum who has already gone through the process at Milan Malpensa Airport which will be our port of entry.Regards
Subrata
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