Europe EES: who is registered and who is exempt

EES records many non-EU short-stay travellers at the external borders of participating European countries. It is not a Europe-wide eGate permission rule.

What to check

• Fully operational since 10 April 2026
• Generally covers non-exempt non-EU nationals on short stays
• EU/EEA/Swiss nationals and nationals of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican/Holy See passport holders are exempt from standard registration
• Long-stay visas/residence permits issued by countries operating EES can create an exemption; Cyprus and Ireland-issued documents are treated differently
• Qualifying family-member residence cards/permits can create an exemption
• Children under 12 can still be in scope, but fingerprints are not scanned for this age group under current rules
• Local self-service and eGate availability depends on the border crossing

Important limitation

Eligibility for an automated route is not permission to enter. Visas, ETAs, residence status, document validity, operational availability and an officer's decision remain separate.