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The European Union will introduce mandatory fingerprint and facial scans for non-EU travelers as part of its new Entry and Exit System (EES), beginning October 12, 2025.
According to a statement, the rollout will start gradually at airports and land crossings before becoming fully operational on April 10, 2026, the European Commission said.
The EES is an automated platform that records the movements of non-EU nationals on short stays each time they cross the external borders of participating European countries, including France, Spain, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
The commission said the system will apply to all non-EU nationals on short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
