Schengen switches from passport stamps to biometric entry-exit records
Border officers across the 29 Schengen countries now register fingerprints and a facial image instead of stamping passports. Your 90-in-180-day allowance is counted automatically.
- In effect from
- 8 Sept 2026
- Published
- 10 Sept 2026
- Source
- European Commission
The digital entry-exit system is being switched on in stages at air, land and sea borders across the Schengen Area. Instead of a stamp, your entry and exit are stored against your passport number together with a facial image and fingerprints.
First-time arrivals take longer because biometrics have to be enrolled at the border. Later trips are noticeably faster, and many airports are directing enrolled travellers to automated gates.
The practical change for frequent travellers is that the 90-days-in-any-180 limit is now calculated by the system, not by an officer reading stamps. Overstays that used to be missed are flagged immediately, so plan trips against the rolling window carefully.
Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting. Residence permit and long-stay visa holders are outside the scheme.
Countries affected
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