One of these two systems is running right now, and the other is not. EES is a border check that has applied to every non-EU short-stay traveller since 10 April 2026. ETIAS is a pre-travel authorisation that has not started, and no date has been confirmed.
Last updated: 13 August 2026.
EES vs ETIAS at a Glance
| Feature | EES | ETIAS |
|---|---|---|
| Status today | Live and mandatory since 10 April 2026 | Not in operation. No applications are being collected, and no start date is confirmed |
| What it is | A biometric record of your entry and exit, taken at the border | An online travel authorisation, applied for before you fly |
| Who it covers | Every non-EU short-stay traveller, visa holders and visa-exempt alike | Only visa-exempt travellers, from around 60 eligible countries |
| Where | 29 countries: the Schengen EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland. Not Ireland or Cyprus | The same 29, plus Cyprus. Not Ireland |
| Do you apply? | No. Registration happens automatically at the border on first arrival | Yes, online, once the system is running |
| Cost | Free | EUR 20 (free under 18 or over 70) |
| Data retention | 3 years, or 3 years and 1 day after your last recorded exit; 5 years if no exit was recorded | Up to 3 years, or until your passport expires |
| Replaces the passport stamp? | Yes | No, it does not touch the stamp |
The simplest way to hold the two apart: EES is the door, ETIAS is the key. EES is the check every non-EU short-stay traveller passes through. ETIAS, once it exists, will be the permission that visa-exempt travellers need before they can approach that door.
What EES Actually Does
EES is a digital record of entry and exit that has replaced manual passport stamping for non-EU short-stay travellers, at every external border of the 29 participating countries, since 10 April 2026.
- A facial image, taken by camera at the border
- Your fingerprints, scanned at a kiosk or counter on first arrival
- Passport data, plus the date and place of entry and exit
There is no form, no fee and nothing to apply for. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting, though their facial image is still recorded. If you already hold a Schengen visa, your fingerprints are already stored in the separate Visa Information System and are not captured again for EES.
You can optionally pre-register some of this through the official Travel to Europe app up to 72 hours before arrival, in the small number of countries that currently support it. It speeds up your own transaction at the border; it does not replace the check itself.
What ETIAS Is, and Why It Has No Date
ETIAS is an online pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, similar in concept to the US ESTA or the UK ETA. It is not a visa, and it is not running.
The official EU position is that ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected. Its earlier late-2026 target has been dropped, and a revised timetable is expected once the eu-LISA management board meets in September 2026. Treat any site inviting you to apply or pay for ETIAS today as fraudulent.
- Fee: EUR 20 per application, waived only for applicants under 18 or over 70
- Validity: up to 3 years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first
- Covers: multiple short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Who Needs Which System
Nationality decides this, not intent to travel.
- Schengen visa holders (citizens of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, among others): still need the visa, register under EES on first arrival, and do not need ETIAS at all.
- Visa-exempt travellers (citizens of the UAE, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Brazil, among others): register under EES the same way, and will need to apply for ETIAS once it launches.
- Residence-permit and long-stay-visa holders sit outside both systems entirely.
- EU, EEA and Swiss nationals are unaffected by either.
Planning a Trip Around Both
EES is the one that affects you now. Build extra time into your first Schengen arrival, since queues run from a few minutes off-peak to several hours at busy hubs, and the figure depends on the hour and how many booths are staffed rather than on any fixed schedule.
When you compare flights to Paris, Rome or Barcelona on Wego, weigh arrival time alongside price, and give a connecting itinerary more margin at the first Schengen airport than you would have needed before EES.
ETIAS needs no action from you today. Once a start date is confirmed, the EU has said it will give several months’ notice, which is enough time to apply before a trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need both EES and ETIAS?
Only if you are visa-exempt, and only once ETIAS starts. Schengen visa holders go through EES alone; visa-exempt travellers go through EES now and will need ETIAS once it launches.
Is ETIAS a visa?
No. It is a travel authorisation, comparable to the US ESTA or UK ETA, and it only applies to travellers who are already visa-exempt.
When will ETIAS start?
There is no confirmed date. The EU has said it will announce a specific start date several months before ETIAS launches, so watch the official ETIAS site rather than a fixed year.
How much does EES cost, and can I apply in advance?
EES is free, and there is nothing to apply for. Registration happens automatically at the border on your first arrival, though you can pre-register some details through the official Travel to Europe app in a handful of countries.
Which countries sit outside EES or ETIAS?
Ireland uses neither system. Cyprus is outside EES but inside ETIAS’s planned scope. Both still stamp passports manually.
Do residence permit or long-stay visa holders need either system?
No. Both EES and ETIAS apply only to short-stay travellers, so residence-permit and long-stay-visa holders fall outside both.
Sources
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs (EES scope, data collected, 29 participating countries)
- European Commission news release (EES fully operational since 10 April 2026)
- Travel to Europe, official EU portal (ETIAS not in operation, no applications collected, notice before launch)
- Travel to Europe, EES exemptions (residence permits and long-stay visas outside EES)
- Travel to Europe, EES data retention (3 years, 3 years and 1 day, 5 years with no recorded exit; VIS fingerprint overlap)
- European Commission (ETIAS fee of EUR 20, exemptions for under-18s and over-70s)
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 (EES Regulation, under-12 fingerprint exemption, retention periods)
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2018/1240 (ETIAS Regulation, transitional and grace periods)
- Biometric Update (eu-LISA September 2026 board meeting, revised ETIAS timetable)
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
