Filenews 7 October 2025
[Note for non-Europeans, the biometric residency card should be used. If you do not have the biometric residency card, then you will have to provide digital information and fingerprints. From middle of 2026, the EU will not recognise your residency in Cyprus unless it is in biometric format]
The European Union starts on Sunday (12/10) the implementation of the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), which will replace traditional passport checks with digital records of persons, fingerprints and travel dates in 29 countries of the Schengen zone.
Non-EU citizens entering the Schengen area will gradually switch to the new system, which the EU says will speed up border controls and help staff work more efficiently. The system will become fully operational on April 10, 2026.
The biometric system covers 29 Schengen countries
The EES is implemented in 25 EU member states, as well as in Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. Cyprus and Ireland will continue to apply traditional passport controls for incoming passengers, while the United Kingdom remains outside Schengen.
Australians and other non-European citizens travelling to the zone for short stays of up to 90 days within 180 days will use the new, free system. According to the EU's official website, the digital method aims to prevent irregular migration and enhance border authorities' access to traveller information.
Three-year digital recordings
Travelers will answer questions under the Schengen Borders Code upon arrival, creating a digital record that will be kept for three years. In subsequent entries within this time, only fingerprints or photographs will be required, without a complete re-registration.
Countries that will have automatic points or mobile applications will offer faster border crossing to those who use them.
Initial delays during the implementation phase
Australian service Smartraveller warns that longer queues may occur at first. "The registration process will only take a few minutes, but when the system starts, you may face a longer wait at the border," the directive reads.
Australia maintains visa waiver agreements with several Schengen countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Each country manages its schedule independently, and travellers who intend to stay beyond 180 days must check the specific requirements of their destination.
