New EES system and how to reach Europe

The EES system, along with the ETIAS, will soon be applied to all travelers intending to visit EU with the aim of tightening the security in the EU.

In order to reach Europe and facilitate entry procedures in the future, it is recommended to invest in citizenship by investment programs that provide strong passports for flexible visa-free access and long-term residence in the European Union.

About the EES system

The EES system, which is short for the Entry and Exit System, is a biometric and electronic processing procedure for travelers intending to travel to the European Union who do not have a long-term residence permit.

Travelers will have to scan their data like a passport when each time they cross the border, with biometric data such as facial scans and fingerprints being taken and stored electronically for 3 years after each visit instead of stamping the passport as was the case before.

The system will also record information about travelers with the aim of recording the identity of travelers who have been rejected and those who have overstayed their permitted stay in Europe and detecting people with forged travel documents.

After the face and finger data is recorded for the first time, one of them will be used for comparison on the next visit and will be saved for 3 years after each entry.

It was reported that vehicles entering Europe cannot be processed as a single entity, but passengers must disembark and then each individual is processed separately.

It added that airlines are responsible for people who cannot enter the union due to their data, so these companies will check passengers 48 hours before travel. The long 48-hour period can frustrate late ticket buyers.

The EES system was scheduled to be implemented in 2022, but due to technological failures and problems installing the hardware required to start the system, it has been postponed several times, most recently until November 2024 after France requested to complete the Olympics and then implement it.

EES system is linked to another system called ETIAS, and the ETIAS system takes six months to be operational before the EES system is operational.

The ETIAS is a system that applies to all non-EU visitors to the EU, who will need to obtain an electronic approval before travelling to Europe, which will be valid for 3 years.

Who does the EES system apply to?

EES system will apply to all non-EU citizens travelling to the 27 EU member states and 4 other countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) either on a short-stay visa or without a visa if the visa is for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

This means that it will apply to British citizens. Ironically, Ireland and Cyprus, despite being EU members, are not subject to the system and will be treated with a manual stamp upon arrival in these countries.

It is clear that the EES does not apply to citizens who can enter Europe without a visa for long periods, such as Caribbean citizens, Golden Visa holders and citizens of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican.

Will there be any delays after EES system is implemented?

The UK and a number of countries have expressed concerns that the system will slow down processing when entering Europe through the gates, and this is likely to cause long queues for travellers, especially since some gates are not suitable for this system due to their size.

To access Europe and facilitate your passage, you can invest in a second citizenship from a Caribbean country, which will allow you to enter the European Union without a visa for 180 days a year, and European Golden Visa programmes are a great option.

If you would like more information about Caribbean citizenship and Golden Visa programmes and the other benefits they offer in addition to access to the Schengen Area, get in touch with one of our experts via the contact form.