The European Union’s new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) went live on 12 October, kicking off a phased six-month rollout that will replace manual passport stamping for non-EU visitors. Under the new regime, first-time travellers must have fingerprints and a facial image captured; subsequent visits involve an automated match against the stored biometric profile.
Vienna Airport has installed 24 self-service kiosks near the non-Schengen arrival gates and is urging carriers to advise passengers to arrive 30 minutes earlier until familiarisation improves. Austrian Airlines reports that early-morning queues at peak times have lengthened by up to 12 minutes but are gradually stabilising as ground staff refine passenger flows.
![EU Starts Six-Month Roll-Out of Biometric Entry/Exit System—Vienna Airport Advises Early Check-In]()
For mobility managers, the EES introduces an automated overstay calculation, meaning employees who exceed the 90/180-day Schengen limit will be flagged instantly. Companies should audit travel histories and, where necessary, apply for national permits or adjust rotation schedules.
The system is a prerequisite for ETIAS, the EU’s electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals, now expected in late 2026. Data captured by EES will feed directly into ETIAS risk-scoring algorithms, so accuracy at the point of enrolment is critical.
Austria’s Interior Ministry notes that personal data will be retained for three years after the last exit and stored on EU-wide servers accessible to Frontex and law-enforcement agencies. Privacy watchdogs have called for stronger safeguards, but business groups broadly support the modernisation, citing faster e-gate processing once passengers are enrolled.
Vienna Airport has installed 24 self-service kiosks near the non-Schengen arrival gates and is urging carriers to advise passengers to arrive 30 minutes earlier until familiarisation improves. Austrian Airlines reports that early-morning queues at peak times have lengthened by up to 12 minutes but are gradually stabilising as ground staff refine passenger flows.
For mobility managers, the EES introduces an automated overstay calculation, meaning employees who exceed the 90/180-day Schengen limit will be flagged instantly. Companies should audit travel histories and, where necessary, apply for national permits or adjust rotation schedules.
The system is a prerequisite for ETIAS, the EU’s electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals, now expected in late 2026. Data captured by EES will feed directly into ETIAS risk-scoring algorithms, so accuracy at the point of enrolment is critical.
Austria’s Interior Ministry notes that personal data will be retained for three years after the last exit and stored on EU-wide servers accessible to Frontex and law-enforcement agencies. Privacy watchdogs have called for stronger safeguards, but business groups broadly support the modernisation, citing faster e-gate processing once passengers are enrolled.
