EU biometric Entry/Exit System goes live on 10 April—what UAE travellers need to know

From 10 April the European Union will fully activate its digital Entry/Exit System (EES) across 29 Schengen states, replacing manual passport stamping with biometric registration for all non-EU visitors, including UAE nationals and residents travelling on business or leisure. Under EES, facial images and fingerprints will be captured at border crossings and stored for three years, automatically calculating each traveller’s 90-day short-stay allowance. Travellers do not have to pre-register, but authorities warn that first-time EES users should expect longer queues as kiosks collect biometrics. A new “Travel to Europe” mobile app—so far available only in a handful of countries—allows passport details and a selfie to be uploaded up to 72 hours in advance, but final verification still happens at the border. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprints but must have a photo taken. The change has no impact on visa exemptions for Emiratis, who may still enter Schengen for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, once the separate ETIAS travel-authorisation scheme launches later in 2026, visa-exempt travellers will also have to secure pre-travel clearance, similar to the US ESTA. UAE companies with frequent European travel should brief staff on potential delays during the bedding-in period and remind them that overstays will be calculated automatically, reducing scope for discretion at exit points. Carriers operating from the UAE must also integrate with EU systems to verify that passengers have complied, or risk fines and return-to-origin liabilities.