The European Union has announced that it will introduce mandatory fingerprint and facial scans for all non-EU travelers under its new Entry and Exit System (EES), starting October 12, 2025.
According to a statement from the European Commission, the implementation will begin gradually at airports and land borders before becoming fully operational by April 10, 2026.
The EES is an automated platform designed to record the movements of non-EU nationals entering and exiting participating European countries such as France, Spain, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. It will apply to travelers on short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Children under 12 will be exempt from fingerprinting.
The EU said the new system will replace traditional passport stamping with a digital process that logs entries and exits, helping to streamline border checks and improve efficiency.
“The EES will gradually replace passport stamps with a digital system that records when travellers enter and exit, making border checks faster and helping staff to work more efficiently,” the European Union stated.
“With EES, travellers will spend less time at the border thanks to faster checks, self-service options, and the possibility to give their information in advance.”
The EU added that the program aims to modernise border management, combat identity fraud, and monitor visa overstays.
Biometric and personal data collected under the EES will be stored for up to three years and will not be shared with third parties.
The system is expected to tighten border enforcement significantly, making overstaying more difficult for Nigerian and other non-EU travelers, with potential penalties including entry bans, visa denials, fines, or deportation.
Initially announced in 2023 and set for a 2024 rollout, the EES launch was postponed and rescheduled for October 2025.
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