Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) confirmed on 28 January 2026 that travellers from non-EU countries can now pre-register at self-service kiosks before proceeding to passport control—a key milestone in Germany’s phased implementation of the European Entry/Exit System (EES). EES has been live at BER since 2 December 2025, but until now registration was performed exclusively at staffed counters.
Under the new arrangement, third-country nationals staying up to 90 days in any 180-day period scan their passports and capture facial biometrics at the kiosk. The data is then available to Federal Police officers at the control booth, reducing average processing times by an estimated 30 percent. Fingerprint capture will be added once software certification is complete, expected in March.
![Berlin Brandenburg Airport Launches Passenger Pre-Registration as EU Entry/Exit System Roll-Out Accelerates]()
Travellers who still need a Schengen visa—or who simply want expert help navigating the new EES requirements—can turn to VisaHQ. The platform’s Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers step-by-step application tools, compliance checklists, and live support, making it easy for individuals and corporate mobility teams to stay on top of changing entry rules.
Germany aims to finish nationwide EES deployment by 10 April 2026, ahead of the peak summer-travel season. Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg airports have begun limited trials, while land-border pilots with Switzerland and Poland start next week. The digital system replaces manual passport stamps, automatically tracking a traveller’s days-in-Schengen—critical for compliance with the 90/180 rule.
Mobility managers should alert short-term assignees that overstays will now be detected automatically. Companies are advised to audit travel histories and use reputable day-count calculators to avoid inadvertent violations that could trigger fines or future-entry bans.
Under the new arrangement, third-country nationals staying up to 90 days in any 180-day period scan their passports and capture facial biometrics at the kiosk. The data is then available to Federal Police officers at the control booth, reducing average processing times by an estimated 30 percent. Fingerprint capture will be added once software certification is complete, expected in March.
Travellers who still need a Schengen visa—or who simply want expert help navigating the new EES requirements—can turn to VisaHQ. The platform’s Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers step-by-step application tools, compliance checklists, and live support, making it easy for individuals and corporate mobility teams to stay on top of changing entry rules.
Germany aims to finish nationwide EES deployment by 10 April 2026, ahead of the peak summer-travel season. Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg airports have begun limited trials, while land-border pilots with Switzerland and Poland start next week. The digital system replaces manual passport stamps, automatically tracking a traveller’s days-in-Schengen—critical for compliance with the 90/180 rule.
Mobility managers should alert short-term assignees that overstays will now be detected automatically. Companies are advised to audit travel histories and use reputable day-count calculators to avoid inadvertent violations that could trigger fines or future-entry bans.
