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New EU Entry Exit System (EES)

UPDATE December 2024

EU states EES Entry/Exit system border changes will not start this year!

The official website for the EU’s new Digital Border Controls has been updated to confirm that a start date is no longer planned for this year.

The EU had been working towards starting ‘in autumn 2024’ but this had been looking unlikely after a ‘target date’ of November 10 was missed amidst problems with several countries – including France – reporting not yet being technically ready for the launch.

Starting just before the end of year holidays was also thought likely to be unpopular due to the potential for longer border queues at what is expected to be a busy time.

The EU’s official website for the Entry/Exit System now states that new digital border controls are ‘due to start in 2025’.

More news is expected following the next meeting of the European Council’s Justice and Home Affairs Council on December 12.

UPDATE 11th October, 2024

In the coming months, the EU will introduce a new digital Entry/Exit System (EES). 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.

If you are a UK national with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement , you will be exempt from EES registration, if you have the correct documentation.

In France, documents that allow exemption include all forms of Withdrawal Agreement residency permits, including 5-year, 10-year and permanent residency permits. Any other valid residency permit issued by France or any other EU member state will also mean that your are exempt.

Please note that minors must be in possession of a Document de Circulation pour Etranger Mineur (DCEM), whether travelling accompanied or alone, to be exempt from EES. DCEM’s are free for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement. 

Apply for a DCEM through the French government website :

Document de circulation pour étranger mineur (DCEM) Service-Public.fr.

If you have one of these documents, you will not need to register in the EES when travelling.

Find out more information on the EES initiative on the :

EU’s official  Travel Europe website.

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Message from Mrs Dominique OLLEY, British Consulate Bordeaux – 19/09/24

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