The app is now available for download on major platforms and lets travellers from outside the European Union pre-register their personal and travel information up to 72 hours before their flight. The main goal is to speed up border checks at Lisbon Airport, where the app is already in use. It is expected to roll out to other airports in Portugal soon to help prevent the long lines and confusion that happened last year.
The Internal Security System (SSI), together with the PSP, the GNR, and the Government, is leading this project to modernise how the EU manages its borders. Travellers fill out a digital form and receive a QR code, which they can scan at airport self-service kiosks. This process helps avoid long, in-person interviews with border guards.
While using the app is optional and does not replace regular procedures, authorities say that processing information in advance will make entering Europe much faster and easier for everyone.
Right now, the EES system, which collects biometric data, is still suspended in Portugal because of logistical issues from last December.
According to the SSI (Portuguese National Security Office), even after several recent tests, collecting biometric data is still “on hold.”
Because of this, the app is being used as a temporary solution to see how well Portuguese airports can handle the new process before the full European rules are put in place. For travellers coming through Lisbon, this app is currently the best way to avoid the long lines that have been common in recent years.