The EES replaces manual passport stamping with a shared EU database that records each entry and exit for short-stay, non-EU visitors (e.g., tourists, business travellers). At the first crossing after go-live, travellers register their passport, get a facial photo, and give fingerprints. On future trips, checks should get quicker because the record stays active for up to three years (or until the passport expires). The system automatically tracks the 90-days-in-180 rule.
How the Dutch rollout works
Phased start: The Justice Ministry says the Netherlands is introducing EES step-by-step, beginning at smaller posts and scaling up. Schiphol will run a small-scale launch from November 3, then expand in December. Other posts follow, with full coverage by April 10, 2026. Until then, passport stamps remain in use alongside EES.
Rail from the UK: Eurostar is preparing self-service EES kiosks at London St Pancras so checks happen before boarding to Amsterdam/Rotterdam; 49 kiosks are installed. Timing of the Dutch terminals’ full EES checks is later (early 2026), per earlier briefings.
Photo Credits: Ben Koorengevel/Unsplash
Who uses EES and who doesn’t
EES applies to: non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors on short stays who don’t hold an EU residence permit.
Exempt: EU citizens, holders of Dutch/EU residence permits or long-stay visas, certain family members of EU nationals, and some specific categories (e.g., cross-border workers, study/transfer permits covered by separate rules).
What travellers should do
Allow extra time at border control during the first months of the rollout.
Have documents ready (passport, travel details). Be prepared for biometrics at first use.
Know your stay limits: EES will enforce 90/180-day rules automatically.
Why it’s changing: EES is an EU-wide project to strengthen external border checks and cut queuing over time by automating repeat verifications. The start has been delayed in past years; the EU and member states are now activating it gradually to reduce disruption.
For official updates on the Dutch rollout and practical guidance, see the Justice Ministry’s EES page.
