Are e-passports now a must to visit Schengen countries from October?

Dubai: From October 12, 2025, Europe’s Schengen countries will begin rolling out a new Entry/Exit System (EES) at airports and border points. Instead of stamping passports, border officers will log traveller details digitally — including entry dates and length of stay.

With biometric or e-passports now widely adopted worldwide, many travellers are asking how Europe’s new system will affect Schengen trips. So what exactly is a biometric passport — and will you need one to travel?

A biometric or an e-passport, looks like a regular passport but contains a small electronic chip. The chip, usually RFID, stores your personal details, photo, and fingerprints. It allows for faster and more secure identity checks at borders, reduces fraud, and makes automated verification possible. You can spot one by a small gold chip symbol on the cover.

Both biometric and regular passports are accepted in Schengen countries. Immigration won’t turn you away just because your passport doesn’t have a chip.

The main difference lies in speed. Some airports will add automated kiosks — known as self-service systems — similar to the e-gates at Dubai Airport. With a biometric passport, you can scan your document, look into a camera, and pass through quickly before meeting an officer. Without one, you’ll still get in, but you’ll go through the manual line.

According to the official EES website, these kiosks are optional and only available for biometric passport holders.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) will store different information depending on whether a traveller needs a visa to enter Schengen countries.

According to the official EES website, storing biometric data such as photos and fingerprints allows authorities to verify identities more accurately, reduce the risk of fraud, and ensure travellers respect the 90-day stay limit within a 180-day period. It also helps detect overstays and strengthens border security by preventing the misuse of travel documents.

The European Union highlights that this approach is designed not only to improve security but also to make border checks smoother for legitimate travellers, replacing manual passport stamps with a faster digital process.

UAE passport holders can visit Schengen countries visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. While the new system is being phased in, border checks may take slightly longer than usual.

Travellers with biometric passports will be able to use faster self-service kiosks at certain airports, reducing waiting times. The good news is that most UAE passports already contain biometric chips, so many residents are already prepared without knowing it.

For the large expat community in the UAE, the experience will depend on nationality. Expats who require a Schengen visa will continue to submit their fingerprints and photo during the visa process, with only their photo stored again at the border.

Expats from visa-exempt countries — such as the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and others — will have both a photo and four fingerprints recorded when entering.

In all cases, the EES will automatically track the length of stay and flag overstays, replacing the need for manual passport stamps. This ensures smoother travel for those following the rules, while adding extra checks against fraud and identity misuse.

The new EES replaces passport stamps with a digital record. You don’t need a biometric passport to enter Schengen countries, but it gives you quicker access through automated kiosks. By April 2026, the system will be fully active across Europe, making travel smoother and more secure.