Estonia and other European countries are introducing a new Entry/Exit System

The new IT system will register third country nationals travelling for a short stay each time they cross the external borders of the Schengen area. The innovative Entry/Exit system will be introduced in European countries from October 12.

The Entry/Exit system digitally records 29 European countries, including the entries and exits of non-EU citizens travelling to countries that have joined the Schengen Agreement for a short stay.

When a third-country national crosses the border, their personal data, facial image and fingerprints are collected at border control, and the exact time and place of entry or exit are recorded. Entry bans are also recorded in the system. The next time the person crosses the border, the system can be used to check whether they are entitled to enter the country and whether they have not exceeded the permitted length of stay.

According to Marko Voog, project manager of the Border Management Bureau of the Police and Border Guard Board, the EES will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time consuming and does not allow a systematic detection of over-stayers. According to the project manager, the new system will make border control even more efficient and secure than before, helping to prevent illegal migration and protect the safety of European citizens. "The new system will also help bona fide third-country nationals to travel more easily while also identifying more efficiently cases of document and identity fraud. In addition to this, the system will allow a wider use of automated border control checks and self-service systems, which are quicker and more comfortable for the traveller," Voog described.

According to Katre Vahtra, the Manager of Business Services at the IT Development Centre of the Estonian Ministry of the Interior (SMIT), which carried out the development work, the preparation of the new system has been extensive and complex. "In Estonia, the system will be implemented at all border crossing points at the same time. This means that in the first few weeks, there may be longer queues than usual at border crossings, but this is a natural part of launching such a major system change," Vahtra explained.

The new system will be introduced on October 12 at all Estonian border crossing points, including the eastern border, ports as well as Tallinn Airport. The new system will not apply to Estonian or European Union citizens. As biometric data collection is an additional step in the border control process and takes more time than usual, the change may also have a slight impact on the time it takes for other people to cross the border. Therefore, you should arrive at the airport or port well in advance so that all necessary procedures could be completed in time without causing additional stress.

We invite everyone travelling from the Schengen area via Tallinn Airport to use the automated border control gates. ABC gates can be used by all citizens of the European Union and Switzerland who are at least 12 years old and have a biometric passport. Please note that a passport is an official travel document and before travelling, you should always check its validity and how long it must remain valid after entering the destination country.

More information about the Entry/Exit System (EES) is available on the official website: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/et/ees

The launch of the system in Estonia is co-financed by the European Union and the Republic of Estonia Ministry of the Interior.