Kenyans traveling to Europe will soon experience a major shift at border controls as the European Union (EU) prepares to replace manual passport stamping with a digital system. Known as the Entry/Exit System (EES), the initiative will be introduced at all external border crossing points in 29 European countries, including the entire Schengen Area.
The system is designed to phase out paper-based passport stamping by digitally recording personal and biometric details of non-EU nationals. This includes Kenyan passport holders traveling for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
According to the EU’s official website, the EES will be fully operational by April 10, 2026. From that date, all non-EU travelers entering or leaving the Schengen zone will have their information stored electronically.
Details collected will include:
- Personal data from one’s passport
- Date and location of border crossing
- Biometric identifiers such as facial image and fingerprints
For travelers without a Schengen visa, a facial image and four fingerprints will be captured at the border. Those holding a Schengen visa will only provide a facial image, since fingerprints are already collected during the visa application process.
The EU notes that the EES will enhance border security and efficiency by ensuring accurate records of who is entering and leaving the region. It will also help track overstays and reduce fraudulent travel documents.
“Your travel document data and other personal data will be collected, including your entry and exit dates, and will be registered electronically in the system. This procedure will facilitate your border crossing,” the EU stated.
For Kenyan travelers, this means planning ahead for slightly longer border procedures during the initial rollout, but ultimately benefiting from faster, more secure, and paperless travel in Europe.
