EES flags nearly 7,000 Schengen overstayers since launch
We look at how to make sure you follow 90/180 days visiting rule to avoid being caught out
More than 60 million entries and exits have been recorded across the Schengen area in recent months
Ivan Marc/Shutterstock
Nearly 7,000 non-EU citizens were refused entry to the EU since the launch of the EES digital border scheme because they had previously overstayed in the Schengen area.
The figures show that the rate is increasing – it has increased by 50% in the last two months of analysis (around 3,000 overstayers flagged) compared to the first four months of EES operation (around 4,000 overstayers).
‘Overstaying’ refers to non-EU/non-EEA/non-Swiss citizens who have their main home outside the EU spending more than 90 days in the bloc in any rolling 180-day period. Some of those concerned might also have used up exactly their allowance, making any further days in the bloc impossible.
The 7,000 ‘overstayers’ were among some 30,000 travellers in total denied entry to the Schengen area since the launch of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) on October 12, 2025, new EU data reveals.
The other denials related to other immigration status or paperwork irregularities or (in 800 cases) security concerns.
The information was included in the ‘2026 State of Schengen Report’ released by the European Commission on Monday (May 18).
It provides an updated snapshot, as of April 20, compared to 16,000 refusals and around 4,000 overstayers reported in a EU chief’s speech three months ago, on February 23 (four months after the start of EES).
We have not identified comparable figures from before EES, with one of the aims of the new system having been to better keep track of this. However, some people were already refused entry for such reasons before, based, for example, on border guards checking their passport stamps.
The report also highlights that since the progressive launch of the EES in October 2025, “Schengen states registered more than 60 million entries and exits of third county nationals.”
The data includes the two weeks following the ‘full launch’ of EES on April 10.
It comes after a recent report shows that across 2025, more than 1,000 Britons were denied entry to the EU, with 200 cases taking place in France.
How can I check if I have respected the 90/180 days rule?
The 90/180 days rule is applied both to people who need short-stay Schengen visas to visit the EU and also nationals of countries with a visa-waiver for short stays, such as Britons, Americans, Australians or Canadians.
It is best understood looking backwards from today: at any one point a non-EU visitor should not have been in the Schengen area countries for more than 90 days in the last 180.
In France, overstaying in the bloc can lead to a fine on exiting and since EES it also means that a person is added to an EU overstayers database.
Since full operation of EES, an official tool is offered to allow people to calculate how many days they have left to stay in the Schengen area, however, the web page states that while the system beds it in may not fully take into account all prior stays.
It may therefore be better to continue for now to use the older Schengen calculator site.
In general, visitors should be careful to respect the rule, however, it is worth noting that:
In exceptional circumstances, it is possible to apply to the local prefecture, while in France, for an extension, for example if there are important health reasons for needing to stay in France longer
Family members of an EU (but not French) citizen can stay longer than three months in France with them by applying at the prefecture for a residency permit
Americans, New Zealanders and Canadians may remain in France (only) for an additional 90 days after a Schengen stay under the 90/180 days rule, under pre-Schengen treaties. If using this, they would have to explain this to border guards so as not to be logged as overstayers. While this rule is correct in theory, we have not had feedback from readers who have used it, and there may be risks of some border guards being unfamiliar with this, or of being asked for supporting documents, such as evidence that periods beyond the 90/180 days were spent in France alone.
If you have used up all your entitlement but urgently need to come to France, then you would need to contact the French consulate in the country where you live to see if an emergency visa could be arranged.
Praise for border controls but more to be done
The new report also highlighted that since EES entered into operations, border authorities are now running far more fingerprint comparisons against EU security/migration databases than before, with such checks having risen from 17,000 to around 87,000 per day.
This is likely because prior to EES fingerprints were only collected for people visiting Europe on visas.
“Overall, the EES has been operating efficiently, bringing visible benefits to EU security,” the report said.
This comes despite concerns over persistent IT issues in France, and over prolonged border queues.
It noted that, as well as modern IT systems with adequate equipment, EES relies on sufficient numbers of well-trained border guards. However, France was among 10 countries listed as having taken notable steps to increase staff.
France was also said to be among those that had “enhanced the quality of its border checks through more consistent verification of entry conditions, and increased use of automation” and it was among those to have recently appointed a national Schengen coordinator.
It was also said to have made increased efforts to return people illegally present to their country of origin.
However, France was among several countries highlighted as having issues relating to passing on biometric information for EU security/migration checks (the ‘Schengen Information System’ - SIS).
“The systematic attachment of biometric data to SIS alerts, the roll-out and use of fingerprint searches by all relevant authorities particularly during border checks and by migration authorities… remains inconsistent,” the EU said.
