A major change is coming for South Africans travelling to Europe.
As of 12 October 2025, the European Union has implemented the Entry/Exit System (EES), a fully digital border control process that replaces traditional passport stamps with electronic registration.
The new system applies to 29 European countries, including all Schengen members and four associated nations: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Ireland and Cyprus are not participating and will continue stamping passports for now.
What the new EES system does
Under the EES, every non-EU traveller entering or exiting the Schengen Area for a short stay (up to 90 days within any 180-day period) will be electronically registered, SchengenVisaInfo revealed.
This includes both visa holders and visa-exempt travellers, such as South Africans.
The system records:
- A live facial image of the traveller (all travellers)
- Fingerprints (for visa-exempt travellers)
- Biometric data from the passport
- Entry and exit dates and locations
Once logged, the EES automatically tracks how many days a traveller has spent in the Schengen zone and how many remain in their 90-day allowance. Data will be stored for three years, or five years if someone overstays.
Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting but must still have a facial image captured.
The system is being phased in until 10 April 2026, so travellers may still encounter some passport stamping while the rollout continues across the continent.
Which countries?
The Entry/Exit System will apply to the following countries in Europe:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
