EU Entry-Exit System flags 4,000 Schengen overstayers
The biometric border system checks compliance with the 90/180-day rule. It began in October and is set to be fully operational from April 10.
EES records when non-EU travellers enter and leave the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps with a digital record that includes biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans
Getlink
The EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES), which began a staggered rollout in October, has already flagged more than 4,000 travellers overstaying in the bloc, the European Commission has said.
The system can automatically check compliance with the 90/180-days rule.
EES records when non-EU travellers enter and leave the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps with a digital record that includes biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans.
It is designed to detect overstays, strengthen security, prevent identity fraud, and eventually speed up border checks.
The overstaying figure was disclosed on February 23, 2026, when commission official Henrik Nielsen briefed MEPs during an exchange of views on the system’s early implementation at the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee.
Mr Nielsen said the system had already logged around 17 million travellers, 30 million border crossings, and roughly 16,000 entry refusals in its first four months.
The initial rollout was described as “very smooth and successful at central level,” by Tillmann Keber, Executive Director of eu-LISA, the EU agency responsible for the EES IT system, who added that the system is now “fully stabilised” and operating normally.
Phased rollout and operational challenges
The EES went live on October 12, 2025, but rollout is gradual. From January 9, 2026, at least 35% of eligible non-EU passengers are required to be registered, up from an initial 10%.
On March 10, 50% of eligible non-EU passengers crossing all borders were required to be registered - and this is set to rise to 100% scheduled from April 10.
Once fully implemented, passport stamps will stop for short-stay travellers.
However, the rollout has not been smooth. Airports in France, particularly Charles de Gaulle, have reported delays caused by faulty kiosks, software problems, and staff shortages.
In Portugal, Lisbon Airport temporarily reverted to manual stamping after biometric checks caused severe congestion. Airport operators warn that border processing times can increase by up to 70% where EES is in use, with peak waits of three hours reported.
90/180-day rule and penalties
One of the key purposes of the EES is to enforce the 90/180-day rule for visa-free travellers, including Britons and Americans. The system automatically calculates this rolling limit, combining time spent in all Schengen countries.
Penalties for overstaying, even accidentally, can include fines, which in France are set at €198, and potentially a record affecting future visa applications.
Non-EU citizens who hold long-stay visas or residence permits are not required to be entered into EES but may still be affected by queues at the Schengen borders.
In extreme cases, overstaying can result in removal or temporary bans, though this is rare. Exceptions are possible for unforeseeable or mitigating circumstances, such as serious illness.
