What the EU's biometric border checks mean for travellers to Europe from October 12
The new system requires a fingerprint from non-EU travellers. (Reuters: Juan Medina)
Tourists will have their fingerprints and photo taken upon entry and exit to the European Union from October 12 as part of a new biometric-focused entry-check system.
According to the EU, as well as boosting security, the new entry/exit system (ESS) will make border checks more efficient, travel across borders easier and prevent irregular migration.
The new entry/exit system comes into effect on October 12. (Reuters: Jack Taylor)
For travellers, it means personal details such as fingerprints and facial images will be stored in a "secure database" from the day they enter the Schengen area.
Australians travelling to Europe "do not need to do anything before arriving at the border" according to Smartraveller, however "you may experience longer border queues".
What is the EES?
The ESS is an automated IT system for registering foreign nationals who are travelling around Europe for a short stay, less than 90 days.
It will be used at the border of 29 European countries.
Those countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossings, with full implementation by April 10, 2026.
The EU says the new system is aimed at increasing security in the region. (Reuters: Jack Taylor)
If you arrive at a border crossing or airport for the first time since the new system started, you will have to give your personal data.
"Passport control officers will take a photo of your face and/or scan your fingerprints," the EU said.
This information will then be recorded in a digital file.
"The EES modernises border management by increasing efficiency and quality of processes at the border," the EU said in a statement online.
"It also simplifies travel and makes it safer."
What data is collected during the biometric check?
Personal data the ESS collects includes:
- Data listed in your travel document(s) (full name, date of birth)
- Date and place of each entry and exit
- Facial image and fingerprints (biometric data)
- Whether you were refused entry previously
That biometric data will then create a template of you as an individual and be stored in the EU's shared Biometric Matching Service (sBMS).
Border security can search for people using the sBMS.
The EU said "your data will only be kept in the system for the purposes for which it was collected".
It said it would keep records of entries and exits to different countries for three years, and it would keep files containing personal data, such as a fingerprint or image, for three years and a day.
If you revisit the Schengen area within those three years, you will only need to provide your fingerprint and photograph at the border on entry and exit.
What do Australian travellers need to know?
In short, from Sunday, October 12, you will have to be willing to share your fingerprints and photograph with the EU to go on your next holiday to the bloc.
It is a free process, so you will not have to pay for anything.
Smartraveller advises Australian tourists to "answer Schengen Border Code questions" upon arrival.
The new registration process should only take a few minutes, however it could mean longer wait times at the airports while the system is in its infancy.
Travellers have been warned to allow for more time on their trips due to the new system. (Reuters: Juan Medina)
The EU is confident there will not be significant disruption. The British government has, however, advised travellers to allow more time for their journeys as the new EU systems bed in.
Border officials will be able to suspend checks for short periods if processing times become excessively long.
The new system is a precursor for more changes next year in the EU.
A new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is slated to become operational in late 2026.
Non-Schengen area citizens will need to apply for an ETIAS authorisation, provide personal information and details about their trip and pay a 20 euro ($35) fee before they travel.
The authorisation will be valid for three years or until a passport expires, whichever comes first.
ABC/Reuters