With less than 16 months until full implementation, the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) and its sister authorisation ETIAS dominated travel headlines on 7 December 2025. A detailed explainer published by industry outlet Travel and Tour World spells out how the switch from passport stamps to facial scans and fingerprints will transform border management for all Schengen members, including Germany.
Under the current timeline, EES has been in pilot mode since October but becomes mandatory on 10 April 2026. Every non-EU visitor entering Germany – whether via Frankfurt Airport, the Polish land border or a North Sea cruise terminal – will have biometric data captured at first entry and stored for three years. Frequent travellers may benefit from faster e-gates on subsequent trips, but companies should prepare for longer queues during the learning phase, especially at secondary airports where staffing is thin.
![Countdown to Europe’s biometric borders: what German travellers and employers must know before EES and ETIAS go live]()
ETIAS follows in Q4 2026. Nationals of roughly 60 visa-exempt countries (including the US, UK and Canada) must secure online approval and pay a €20 fee before boarding. Carriers face fines for transporting non-compliant passengers, making pre-departure checks essential. For business-jet operators and tour buses crossing from Switzerland or Denmark the burden is equally significant: digital manifests must cross-reference ETIAS status in real time.
Germany’s Federal Police and IT provider secunet have spent €230 million upgrading e-gates and backend systems, but trade unions warn of staffing gaps at peak periods. Mobility managers should advise assignees to hold passports valid for at least six months, allow extra connection time, and retain proof of hotel bookings or invitation letters in case secondary inspection is triggered.
Longer term the digital overhaul could streamline Schengen visa renewals: the European Commission plans to replace sticker visas with cryptographically sealed bar-codes, enabling remote issuance by 2027. For German companies this promises fewer consular appointments and a clearer compliance trail, but only once teething problems are resolved. Early engagement with travel-management companies and technology partners will be key to a smooth transition.
Under the current timeline, EES has been in pilot mode since October but becomes mandatory on 10 April 2026. Every non-EU visitor entering Germany – whether via Frankfurt Airport, the Polish land border or a North Sea cruise terminal – will have biometric data captured at first entry and stored for three years. Frequent travellers may benefit from faster e-gates on subsequent trips, but companies should prepare for longer queues during the learning phase, especially at secondary airports where staffing is thin.
ETIAS follows in Q4 2026. Nationals of roughly 60 visa-exempt countries (including the US, UK and Canada) must secure online approval and pay a €20 fee before boarding. Carriers face fines for transporting non-compliant passengers, making pre-departure checks essential. For business-jet operators and tour buses crossing from Switzerland or Denmark the burden is equally significant: digital manifests must cross-reference ETIAS status in real time.
Germany’s Federal Police and IT provider secunet have spent €230 million upgrading e-gates and backend systems, but trade unions warn of staffing gaps at peak periods. Mobility managers should advise assignees to hold passports valid for at least six months, allow extra connection time, and retain proof of hotel bookings or invitation letters in case secondary inspection is triggered.
Longer term the digital overhaul could streamline Schengen visa renewals: the European Commission plans to replace sticker visas with cryptographically sealed bar-codes, enabling remote issuance by 2027. For German companies this promises fewer consular appointments and a clearer compliance trail, but only once teething problems are resolved. Early engagement with travel-management companies and technology partners will be key to a smooth transition.
