EES app: Sweden and Portugal are already using pre-registration to enter Europe.

O European Union (EES) Entry and Exit System It has been in effect since October 2025 and fully operational since April 2026. The system registers each entry and exit of non-EU visitors to the Schengen Area in a European database, replacing the manual stamp in the passport, with the aim of... identify who is overstaying their permitted stay.

The problem is that the biometric registration, which includes fingerprints and facial images, needs to be done in person during the first crossing. This extra step generated... lines at busy gas stationsCompanies like the port of Dover in the UK, and aviation industry organizations warn that the situation could worsen with the peak summer season in the northern hemisphere.

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In response, the European border agency Frontex developed the Travel to Europe app, which allows travelers to pre-register passport details, facial image, and entry questionnaires up to 72 hours before their trip. Pre-registration does not replace in-person verification, but it reduces the time spent at the checkpoint.

Participation in the app is voluntary for countries in the Schengen Area (EU members except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), and each country decides which features to activate.

Where it already works

Following tests at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, which showed a 25% reduction in processing time, Sweden was the first country to adopt the full app, with support for passport data, facial images, and a questionnaire. Portugal followed, initially supporting only the entry questionnaire, available at Lisbon Airport. The European Commission reported that other locations will be included in the coming weeks. Two other countries are working on implementation, but their names have not been released.

European airports and airlines are pushing for urgent expansion. “Pre-registration is one of the main demands of the sector to make the process more agile. Passengers should be able to register before arriving at the airport and skip the self-service kiosk step,” said a spokesperson for Airports Council International (ACI) Europe. (With information from The Local/Europe Street)