France has reached the ‘Day-90’ benchmark of the European Entry/Exit System (EES), a point in the six-month rollout when at least 50 % of all external border-crossing points must operate full biometric capture (fingerprints and facial image) and at least 35 % of all third-country nationals must already be registered in the database. The deadline, which falls on 9 January 2026, means that most international travellers arriving by air, sea, rail or road will now spend a few extra minutes supplying biometrics on their first trip before benefiting from automated gates thereafter. Airports such as Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly, Nice and Lyon have switched on hundreds of EES kiosks, and the Interior Ministry says it is on track to phase out physical passport stamps entirely by 10 April 2026.([forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/emesemaczko/2026/01/09/eus-new-border-rules-start-today-risking-missed-connections-for-us-travelers/?utm_source=openai))
Background: The EES was created by EU Regulations 2017/2225 and 2017/2226 to replace manual stamping with an electronic record of each entry and exit by non-EU visitors. France began a staggered deployment on 12 October 2025, using modified PARAFE e-gates and new self-service kiosks. Travellers’ personal data and four fingerprints are encrypted and stored for three years, after which they are automatically deleted unless the individual overstays. Privacy groups have raised concerns, but the government argues the system will cut queues and help detect visa overstays more efficiently.([police-nationale.interieur.gouv.fr](https://www.police-nationale.interieur.gouv.fr/actualite/deploiement-du-systeme-dentree-sortie-ees-de-lespace-schengen?utm_source=openai))
![EU Entry/Exit System hits Day-90 milestone: biometric checks now live at half of France’s external border posts]()
If you need practical help understanding how EES works alongside existing visa rules—or guidance on future requirements like ETIAS—VisaHQ’s France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) provides up-to-date travel alerts, personalised visa checks and end-to-end application support, making the transition to Europe’s new border regime smoother for both leisure and business travellers.
Practical implications: Business travellers should allow extra time—up to 15 minutes—at French airports until their first biometric enrollment is completed. Employers moving staff to France should brief them on the process and remind them that refusal to provide biometrics will result in denial of entry. Companies that rely on frequent cross-channel movements (e.g., Eurostar commuters) may initially see longer lines as only half of the booths are EES-enabled, but repeat crossings should be faster once registration is complete.
Looking ahead: By 10 April 2026, France must run EES at 100 % of its external borders, and the EU’s ETIAS travel-authorisation scheme will follow in late 2026. Car operators at Eurotunnel are still negotiating how to collect fingerprints without causing traffic tailbacks, raising the possibility of an extended grace period for motorists. Nonetheless, the Day-90 milestone confirms that Europe’s most ambitious border-digitalisation project is firmly under way.
Background: The EES was created by EU Regulations 2017/2225 and 2017/2226 to replace manual stamping with an electronic record of each entry and exit by non-EU visitors. France began a staggered deployment on 12 October 2025, using modified PARAFE e-gates and new self-service kiosks. Travellers’ personal data and four fingerprints are encrypted and stored for three years, after which they are automatically deleted unless the individual overstays. Privacy groups have raised concerns, but the government argues the system will cut queues and help detect visa overstays more efficiently.([police-nationale.interieur.gouv.fr](https://www.police-nationale.interieur.gouv.fr/actualite/deploiement-du-systeme-dentree-sortie-ees-de-lespace-schengen?utm_source=openai))
If you need practical help understanding how EES works alongside existing visa rules—or guidance on future requirements like ETIAS—VisaHQ’s France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) provides up-to-date travel alerts, personalised visa checks and end-to-end application support, making the transition to Europe’s new border regime smoother for both leisure and business travellers.
Practical implications: Business travellers should allow extra time—up to 15 minutes—at French airports until their first biometric enrollment is completed. Employers moving staff to France should brief them on the process and remind them that refusal to provide biometrics will result in denial of entry. Companies that rely on frequent cross-channel movements (e.g., Eurostar commuters) may initially see longer lines as only half of the booths are EES-enabled, but repeat crossings should be faster once registration is complete.
Looking ahead: By 10 April 2026, France must run EES at 100 % of its external borders, and the EU’s ETIAS travel-authorisation scheme will follow in late 2026. Car operators at Eurotunnel are still negotiating how to collect fingerprints without causing traffic tailbacks, raising the possibility of an extended grace period for motorists. Nonetheless, the Day-90 milestone confirms that Europe’s most ambitious border-digitalisation project is firmly under way.
