EU plans to scrap passport stamps for travellers from November 2023

The EU plans to gradually phase out physical stamps in travellers' passports in favour of a digital system. Photo / Unsplash

For many travellers, a passport full of stamps is a nostalgic reminder of past adventures.

However, getting a passport stamp could be a thing of the past for those visiting the Schengen Area.

In November 2023, the EU is due to launch a new automated Entry/Exit System (EES). This will digitise the registration of non-EU visitors and remove the need for stamps in passports, something the European Commission said was inefficient and unreliable.

“EES will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time-consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings and does not allow a systematic detection of overstayers,” read a statement from the European Commission’s department for Migration and Home Affairs.

What is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)?

The EES is an automated technology system that will register the arrival and departure of travellers from third countries who have short-stay visas or are visa exempt.

When a person crosses an EU external border, the ESS will register their name, travel document, biometric data (facial images and fingerprints) and details of their entry and exit. The system will also hold information regarding the refusal of entry.

By automating these border control checkers, the EU hopes to improve security and make things more efficient for travellers.

The system was originally scheduled for 2022 but was delayed until May 2023 and then until November.

Travellers who can currently visit the Schengen Area without obtaining a visa will need to get travel authorisation through the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This online system will launch in stages alongside EES.

Until then, passport stamps will still be standard practice, to provide proof visitors have not overstayed their visa-free period of 90 days within a 180-day period.

What countries are part of the Schengen Area?

The Schengen Area includes Germany, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. These countries have all acceded to the Schengen Agreement, making them Schengen states.