From April 10, Schengen countries will begin to fully use a new digital border control system — the Entry/Exit System (EES). It will gradually replace traditional stamps in passports and significantly change the procedure for passing border control.
The main change is the transition to biometric registration. When crossing the border, travelers will have their fingerprints and facial photos taken. All this data will be stored in an electronic system and used for future trips.
In fact, Europe is abandoning paper stamps in passports. Biometric data will gradually replace the stamps that were previously familiar to many tourists.
How the new system will work
For those who have already traveled to Schengen countries, the procedure will be faster. If the data is already in the system, border guards will simply verify it without re-collecting biometrics.
However, in some cases, information may be captured again — for example, if the system cannot correctly identify a person or the data needs to be updated.
Biometric passport holders will be able to use automatic control terminals where they are installed. This should speed up border crossing, but it is not expected to completely eliminate queues.
Important rules for travelers
For citizens of non-EU countries, including Kazakhstan, the visa regime remains unchanged. The EES does not eliminate the need for a Schengen visa.
In addition, the new system will automatically record all cases of overstaying in the Schengen area. Even a minor violation can have consequences ranging from fines to refusal of future visas.
The European Union is also planning possible changes to visa policy. In particular, an agreement on visa facilitation is being discussed, which could include shortening the processing times for applications, reducing the number of documents, lowering fees, and expanding the possibilities for obtaining multiple-entry visas.
