Last Updated 30th September 2024 at 4:47 pm

A guide to the new Entry and Exit System in Europe

The way we travel in and out of the EU is changing and we want to ensure that you and your family are prepared this winter! A lot of the EU regulations are long and confusing, so we’ve put together the important parts to you know exactly what you can expect.

What is the entry/exit system news?

Referred to in French as the “Le système d’entrée-sortie”, the EES is an electronic passport  monitoring system that will track visitors to the EU and eliminate the need for Human passport checks and stamps. It’s going to record lots of information including biometric data, so your holiday nails will be seen before you even get to your resort! The big entry/exit system news is that everyone will be able to be tracked and it will be super easy to flag anyone who has overstayed their welcome! So make sure you have enough EU days before you book! The rule is 90 days out of 180… and don’t forget to consider those school residential trips too!

The UK is ‘visa-exempt’ along with the USA, Canada and Australia so you’ll still be able to travel just with your passport! You may have previously found out that the stamp system wasn’t necessarily the most secure way to monitor how long travellers were staying in the Schengen Zone… you or another member of your family may have even overstayed! The entry/exit system news means travellers will be flagged for a fine as soon as they reach the 90 days! That’s not the story we want you to be sharing after an incredible winter adventure with your family!

How will the EES work and how will it affect my family?

To avoid the peak of the summer season, they’re introducing the EES on the 10th November, just a few short weeks before our first guests will be heading for the slopes! Whether you’re flying with us or making your own way to France via another airport, the Ferry or the Eurostar, the queues are predicted to be a little longer than we would like. Everybody will need to complete pre-registration forms with the EU border guards, who will also capture your biometric data. We recommend that you arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare, especially if you’re travelling during the earlier part of the season and with very young children!

The first time you enter the EU after 10th November, will be the only time you meet the friendly smiles of the EU border guards, to have your biometric data captured. After this, you’ll pass straight through a swipe in/swipe out system, similar to the passport scanners we already have in many airports. For passengers aged 12 and over, they will collect scans of your fingerprints and for children under the age of 12, a photograph will be taken. The difference with the new scanners is, they will register extra details and include your immigration status, overstayed visas and immigration offences. It should mean the following Ski Famille holiday we see you on, will be a much quicker airport experience!

What does Ski Famille recommend to make travelling stress free this winter?

As always, we want to keep it simple and easy for you to travel with us, so our advice comes in just 2 parts! First, check you family’s passports, to ensure they are in date and if you think you may be close to reaching the 90 day limit, take 10 minutes to be sure you have 7 days left! The European Commission have built a calculator, so you don’t even need your maths brain for this one!

<<https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/visa-calculator/calculator.htm?lang=en>>

The other half of our advice is to leave enough time! We know that travelling to our snow-sure ski resorts can be a long day, especially with those little passengers, but it’s absolutely worth it. The worst case scenario is you arrive at the airport and your pre-holiday excitement builds whilst you’re queuing with your family. With any luck, you will beat the queues and you and your family will enjoy a relaxed airport brekkie!