EU changes border crossing rules from October: what awaits tourists

From 12 October, the European Union will introduce a new entry and exit registration system (EES), which will replace traditional passport stamps with biometric control. This was announced by the European Commission.

Citizens of non-EU countries travelling to 29 EU and Schengen states on short-term visits will now have their fingerprints or face scanned when crossing the border. Biometric data will be collected on first entry and on subsequent journeys the system will automatically record the border crossing without the need to stamp the passport.

The new system will allow to track the length of stay and promptly detect violations. EES will cover all points of entry - from airports to land borders. Implementation of the technology has already begun: scanners have been installed at the Eurostar terminal in London, and special biometric kiosks for land transport passengers are being built in the port of Dover.

The roll-out will be phased in over a six-month period. Travellers are planned to be informed in advance through awareness campaigns.

EES is part of the "smart border" strategy, which aims to speed up controls, simplify procedures for frequent travellers and increase the effectiveness of the fight against illegal migration.

As Socialportal wrote, more than 4 million Ukrainians currently have temporary protection status in the EU. Most have been able to obtain legal status, basic support, access to medical care, education and the labour market. However, life in a foreign land is accompanied by many challenges, and a significant proportion of people still live "between two worlds". What can the state do to bring back its citizens and how they help the country those who have become part of the Ukrainian diaspora abroad. Read the answers to these and other questions in the exclusive mater on Socialportal.

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