EU entry rules have changed for Russians: what has replaced the passport stamp

On October 12, the Entry/Exit System (EES) officially launched in the European Union. It is designed to register the actual entry and exit of all tourists and short-term visitors who do not hold citizenship of EU countries within the Schengen Area. Upon first crossing the border, travelers will be required not only to present a passport and visa but also to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics. Without this procedure, entry may be denied.

EES allows for tracking the length of stay of tourists and short-term visitors and reduces the risk of overstaying in the Schengen Area. The new system gradually replaces traditional stamps with digital verification via self-service kiosks. Border guards will be able to quickly check biometric data against a database, speeding up checks and increasing security.
The system will operate in almost the entire Schengen area: 25 EU countries (excluding Ireland and Cyprus), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. That's 29 European countries in total.

The EES implementation will be gradual. By January 2026, Schengen countries must implement the biometric entry/exit system at least half of their border crossing points. Full implementation on all transport routes is planned for April 10, 2026.