No more passport stamps in Europe

[braumeister]

I just learned about this. Starting next May (assuming all goes well), the EU will begin a new Entry/Exit System (EES) that will apply to third-country nationals (like us North Americans). Using a combination of fingerprints and facial recognition, it appears that it will function in a similar manner to the Global Entry kiosks we are using today.

No change within the Schengen zone, only into and out of it.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) will be an automated IT system for registering travellers from third-countries, both short-stay visa holders and visa exempt travellers, each time they cross an EU external border. The system will register the person's name, type of the travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit, in full respect of fundamental rights and data protection.

It will also record refusals of entry. EES will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings and does not allow a systematic detection of over-stayers (travellers who have exceeded the maximum duration of their authorised stay).

 

[Bamaman]

If you've ever been to Europe in the past few years, the EU probably has your picture in their facial recognition program. Same with the U.K. They even got my picture twice in a few minutes in Ireland.

I felt like Interpol was watching us.

 

[braumeister]

I don't have any problem with the new system, but I think it's a shame that we won't be able to get the stamps in the passports any more. I've saved all my old passports and it's kind of fun once in a while to page through them and look at the stamps.
I even have both Official and Diplomatic passports that I used way back when, and they bring back good memories as well.

Sure, we'll most likely still get the stamps in other parts of the world, but it looks like the Schengen zone won't participate any more. What gripes me is that I still haven't got stamps from all those countries, and now I never will.

 

[brett]

It has been coming for a while.

Last two or three visits to Thailand we have had our photo taken and and fingerprints recorded digitally. Same process in some Central American countries.

Many countries now have chips in the passports as a way of reducing counterfeits.

Wonder what some countries will do with those entry 30, 60, 90 days etc. visa stickers that take up an entire page in a passport.

 

[gayl]

If EES is anything like E-Gates at Heathrow... YEA!! So simple and FAST. Loved it