How will the EU's new entry-exit border system work?

From October 12, the Entry/Exit System (EES) will begin rollout across the Schengen area and is expected to be fully functional by April 10 next year. The EES is a digital biometric border-check system that records non-EU citizens entering and exiting the Schengen zone. The system applies to short-stay journeys and to visa-exempt nationals who travel for stays up to 90 days within a 180-day period. A non-EU traveller is anyone without EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian or Swiss nationality. The EES excludes nationals of the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus, Vatican passport holders, non-EU nationals with EU residence permits, and certain research, study, voluntary or au pair travellers.

"From October 12, the EU will roll out a new entry system for foreigners who need short-stay Schengen visas. Non-European Union citizens travelling to countries in Europe's Schengen area within which physical borders between member countries have been removed will soon have to use a new automated biometric system that is set to replace usual passport procedures. The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) will be rolled out on Sunday, October 12 and will apply to 29 countries in the Schengen area."

"The EES is a digital border check system which will keep track of non-EU citizens who enter and exit Europe's Schengen zone an area composed of 25 EU members and four non-EU nations which guarantees freedom of movement with no internal border checks. According to the EU, the EES will apply to those making short-stay journeys into the Schengen zone. A non-EU traveller is someone who does not hold EU nationality or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland."

"Short-stay Schengen visas are issued to people staying in the zone for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Citizens from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and others who normally do not need a visa for short stays in the Schengen zone will, however, also be subject to EES. The EES will not apply to: Nationals of the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus as they are part of the EU even though they are inside the Schengen area"

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