EES app: second EU country begins trials before summer peak
France has yet to trial the Travel To Europe app which allows passengers to pre-register certain information but plans to later this year
An app aimed at non-European travellers subject to the Entry/Exit System (EES) is now available in Portugal, as the country prepares for a busy summer travel season.
The Travel To Europe app has been developed by EU border agency Frontex, and allows passengers to pre-register certain information prior to arriving at their destination.
In Portugal the app is currently available for passengers flying to the country’s main airport in Lisbon, and will be extended to other international Portuguese airports in the coming weeks.
“Although use of the app is optional and does not replace standard border control procedures, it allows some of the necessary information to be processed in advance, making the experience of entering Europe simpler and more efficient for both travellers and the authorities responsible for border control,” said Portuguese police authorities in a statement.
The collection of biometric data under EES was temporarily suspended in Portugal following large queues at the nation’s international airports, including Lisbon where wait times had previously reached seven hours.
All EU borderpoints are expected to be fully compliant with EES by April 10, however there will be a grace period where controls can be temporarily suspended in the event of long queues.
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Portugal sees millions of tourists during the peak summer season, leading to concerns that prolonged queues caused by EES will leave passengers waiting for hours.
How does the app work and is it coming to France?
Portugal is the second EU country to trial the app, following Sweden.
Unlike in Sweden however, where visitors can pre-register passport data by scanning their travel document and upload a facial image alongside completing an entry questionnaire, those using the app in Portugal will only initially be able to complete the questionnaire and enter their personal details.
Travellers can download the app for free (from the Google Play or App store) and use it provided they have a biometric passport.
On the app, they can ‘log’ a planned entry, choosing the border entry point and expected time of arrival. This can only be done within the 72 hours prior to the planned journey time.
Travellers then submit the relevant information about their journey, and where applicable scan their passport (via the biometric chip), and take a selfie.
Several co-travellers can be added to the same journey.
Once complete, the app generates a QR code to be scanned by border officials when the traveller arrives at the destination, transmitting the information immediately.
”This pre-registration can be used in the self-service kiosks, when they are available at border crossing points,” said the Portuguese authorities in their statement.
Once passengers have used the app and are registered on the EES database, they will not be required to use the app again until they must re-register (either when their passport expires or if they have not entered the EU for three years, whichever occurs first).
France previously expressed interest in trialling the app, and in 2025 Frontex said the app would be trialled at major entry points in the country in 2026.
As of March however, no further information is available.
The app is not required to be adopted by EU nations, however other countries including Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands have all expressed interest in using it to help with expected queues.
As use of the app expands, different entry points may be subject to varying limitations, as is currently the case in Portugal and Sweden.
