From 12 October, Slovakia will join other EU member states in introducing the new Entry/Exit System (EES), which will gradually replace traditional passport stamps with electronic records, including biometric data, the SITA newswire reports. The scheme is being set up by the European Union, which says it is designed to modernise border management, improve the detection of irregular migration, and streamline the monitoring of short-term stays.
The EES applies to all non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay in participating European countries, whether they require a visa or are exempt from one. Each entry and exit, and any refused entries, will be recorded electronically, creating a comprehensive digital record of each person’s movements into and out of the Schengen area.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals traveling for short stays, each time they cross the external borders of any of the European countries using the system.
Countries that will adopt the system: All EU member states that are part of the Schengen Area, plus several non-EU Schengen members such as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Countries that will not implement the system: Ireland and Cyprus.
‘Non-EU national’ means a traveller not holding the nationality of any European Union country or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
‘Short stay’ means up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This period is calculated as a single period for all European countries using the EES.
According to the Slovak Interior Ministry, the system will also contribute to the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorism and other serious crimes. It will operate across the external Schengen borders; Slovakia says it is fully prepared to roll it out in line with other EU countries.
Biometrics and phased launch
The EES will collect and store biometric identifiers – facial images and fingerprints – alongside travel document information. However, for the first 60 days of its launch, biometric checks will not be compulsory. During this transition period, passports will still be stamped when crossing borders. Biometric information for each affected traveller will be collected at the border.
The phased introduction is scheduled to last six months, with the system expected to be fully operational across all participating states by April 10, 2026. Travellers are advised to allow extra time for border controls when departing for non-Schengen destinations during the initial roll-out.
Who will be affected
The new system will apply to third-country nationals entering the Schengen area for short stays, whether they require a visa or not.
EU nationals, non-EU nationals who hold valid residence permits, those “immediately related” to EU nationals and/or non-EU nationals who hold valid residence permits, and some other specific categories, are exempt from the EES. A full list of exemptions can be found on the EU’s official travel portal.
Officials stress that the EES is intended not only to boost border efficiency but also to combat identity fraud, ensure better monitoring of overstays, and enhance security across the union.
For Slovakia – a country which has an external Schengen land border, with Ukraine – the move is seen as a step towards more coordinated and technologically advanced border control.