Australians heading to Europe will soon face stricter border checks under a new digital Entry and Exit System (EES). According to 7news.com.au, launching on October 12, the system applies to all non-EU nationals entering or leaving the Schengen area, which covers 29 European countries with shared border policies.
Travellers will be required to have fingerprints and photographs taken, along with answering personal questions at the border. These details will form a digital record using biometric data to confirm identity.
According to Smartraveller, “If you revisit the Schengen area within three years of creating your digital record, you’ll only need to provide your fingerprint and/or photograph at the border on entry and exit.” The agency also advised, “You do not need to do anything before arriving at the border.”
Registration is free but may add extra time at border control when the system is first rolled out. Full implementation across Europe is expected by April 10 next year.
Australians can still travel visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. As Smartraveller explains, “This period is calculated as a single period for all the European countries using the EES. It is attached to you as a person, rather than to your passport. This means that even if you enter the Schengen area using a different passport, you will still be restricted to the same 90 days in every 180 days.”
Those who overstay may be flagged by the system and risk detention, fines, removal, or even future bans from the EU.
Source: 7news.com.au
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