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New EU Entry Exit System (EES)

Message from Mrs Dominique OLLEY, British Consulate Bordeaux

As you will know, the new EES (Entry/Exit) system will come into operation soon. (Tentative date 10th November).

I’m writing to you to inform you that we have updated our Living in France – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) document with information on the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) that the EU will introduce in Autumn 2024. Non-EU nationals, including UK nationals, visiting the EU will need to create a digital record when entering the EU’s Schengen Zone. This includes providing biometric data (fingerprints and facial image) at the border.  UK nationals with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement will be exempt from EES registration if they have the correct documentation. 

I’d be very grateful if you could help us highlight this information to your members or any others in your local British community. Our living in guide gives important information that you can share and outlines what they’ll need to know and what documents are accepted, in particular those resident in France with children under 18 years old, will need to apply for a DCEM card for the children to be exempt from EES registration. There is already a link to how to apply for this in the living in guide Passport and Travel section, just above the EES section. 

We will be keeping our France travel advice – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) updated and sending information on our social medial channel on X (@UKinFrance) and Facebook (British Embassy Paris). The British Community Committee of France (britishinfrance.com) have also added our EES information on their website. 

The Embassy will be looking to host a Teams meeting on EES in the coming weeks, for some of the main British Associations around France. This will be the perfect opportunity to feed in any questions you might have, so do let me know if you’d like an invitation.  

Kind regards,

Bordeaux Consular team.

Dominique Olley MVO I Consule I British Consulate Bordeaux

For information the EES does not apply to :

  • Nationals of the European countries using the EES, as well as Cyprus and Ireland
  • Non-EU nationals who hold a residence card and are immediately related to an EU national
  • Non-EU nationals who hold a residence card or a residence permit and are immediately related to a non-EU national who can travel throughout Europe like an EU citizen
  • Non-EU nationals travelling to Europe as part of an intra-corporate transfer or for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au-pairing
  • Holders of residence permits and long-stay visas
  • Nationals of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino and holders of a passport issued by the Vatican City State or the Holy See
  • People exempt from border checks or who have been granted certain privileges with respect to border checks (such as heads of state, cross-border workers, etc.)
  • People not required to cross external borders solely at border crossing points and during fixed opening hours
  • People holding a valid local border traffic permit
  • Crew members of passenger and goods trains on international connecting journeys
  • People holding a valid Facilitated Rail Transit Document or valid Facilitated Transit Document, provided they travel by train and do not disembark anywhere within the territory of an EU Member State