Brussels says its new Entry/Exit System (EES) – the biometric register that has gradually replaced passport-stamping for non-EU nationals since 12 October – is hitting every milestone on time. In a status report released on 30 December the Commission revealed that more than 13.3 million entries and exits have already been logged, 60 % using fingerprints and facial images. Almost 7 000 travellers have been refused entry and around 100 cases of identity fraud uncovered thanks to the shared database.
For Austrian mobility managers the update is highly relevant: Vienna-Schwechat is one of the first Schengen airports to have activated the kiosks and, as of April 2026, EES will be mandatory at *all* external Schengen crossings. Business-traveller processing times initially spiked – border-police unions warned of minute-long scans rather than the former 30-second visual checks – but software fixes and extra e-gates have started to stabilise throughput. Still, employers should advise assignees and visitors from visa-waiver countries (including the UK, US and most of Asia-Pacific) to build in longer connection buffers when transiting Vienna or flying into Salzburg and Innsbruck.
At this planning stage, many companies are turning to specialist platforms such as VisaHQ for support. The firm’s Austrian portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) consolidates the latest EES and ETIAS rules, offers real-time alerts, and lets travel coordinators pre-screen employees or guests for any additional visa or permit they might need — a handy safeguard when posting staff across several Schengen countries.
![EU Commission hails Entry/Exit System rollout as 13 million border crossings recorded]()
The system sits at the heart of the EU’s new layered border regime. From 10 April 2026 EES data will feed directly into ETIAS, the €20 travel-authorisation that visa-exempt nationals will need before boarding a flight to Austria. Austria has already amended its Settlement and Residence Act (NAG) so that domestic immigration authorities can share data with the national ETIAS unit – a change that will affect Red-White-Red Card holders who spend significant time outside the EU.
Corporate compliance teams should therefore audit travel-data feeds and ensure that posted-worker notifications match EES records; discrepancies in recorded entry dates could flag unauthorised longer stays. Forwarding companies are also watching the fraud statistics, as forged ID documents have historically been a weak spot in truck driver recruitment. The Commission’s upbeat tone suggests no further slippage in the 2026 go-live date – something travel-industry lobbies had feared after multiple postponements – so HR and travel departments now have a firm timeline for employee briefings, policy updates and tech integrations.
In practical terms: remind frequent flyers that first registration takes a few minutes, encourage use of mobile-passport lanes where available, and begin updating intranet FAQs to include EES/ETIAS screenshots, fee information and data-privacy explanations.
For Austrian mobility managers the update is highly relevant: Vienna-Schwechat is one of the first Schengen airports to have activated the kiosks and, as of April 2026, EES will be mandatory at *all* external Schengen crossings. Business-traveller processing times initially spiked – border-police unions warned of minute-long scans rather than the former 30-second visual checks – but software fixes and extra e-gates have started to stabilise throughput. Still, employers should advise assignees and visitors from visa-waiver countries (including the UK, US and most of Asia-Pacific) to build in longer connection buffers when transiting Vienna or flying into Salzburg and Innsbruck.
At this planning stage, many companies are turning to specialist platforms such as VisaHQ for support. The firm’s Austrian portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) consolidates the latest EES and ETIAS rules, offers real-time alerts, and lets travel coordinators pre-screen employees or guests for any additional visa or permit they might need — a handy safeguard when posting staff across several Schengen countries.
The system sits at the heart of the EU’s new layered border regime. From 10 April 2026 EES data will feed directly into ETIAS, the €20 travel-authorisation that visa-exempt nationals will need before boarding a flight to Austria. Austria has already amended its Settlement and Residence Act (NAG) so that domestic immigration authorities can share data with the national ETIAS unit – a change that will affect Red-White-Red Card holders who spend significant time outside the EU.
Corporate compliance teams should therefore audit travel-data feeds and ensure that posted-worker notifications match EES records; discrepancies in recorded entry dates could flag unauthorised longer stays. Forwarding companies are also watching the fraud statistics, as forged ID documents have historically been a weak spot in truck driver recruitment. The Commission’s upbeat tone suggests no further slippage in the 2026 go-live date – something travel-industry lobbies had feared after multiple postponements – so HR and travel departments now have a firm timeline for employee briefings, policy updates and tech integrations.
In practical terms: remind frequent flyers that first registration takes a few minutes, encourage use of mobile-passport lanes where available, and begin updating intranet FAQs to include EES/ETIAS screenshots, fee information and data-privacy explanations.
