On 30 July, the European Commission (EC) announced that the Schengen countries will begin implementing the digital Entry/Exit System (EES) from 12 October 2025. This automated border control system is intended for non-EU nationals travelling to Europe for short stays. Their passport, fingerprints, and facial image will be recorded in the EES. The system will be introduced in phases in the Netherlands. Countries opting for a phased rollout will have six months to reach full registration. At Schiphol Airport, we will begin small-scale registration of non-EU travellers from 12 October.
At Schiphol, the implementation of the EES is a joint responsibility of the Ministry of Asylum & Migration, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar), and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The Ministry is responsible for policy, KMar for border control processes, and Schiphol facilitates the EES through infrastructure adjustments and flow management, such as kiosks and wayfinding. Over the past few years, we have worked closely together in preparation, within a public-private partnership.
Phased Rollout at Schiphol
Thousands of non-EU travellers arrive at Schiphol every day. Within the public-private partnership, it has been agreed that the EES will be introduced at Schiphol in a phased and controlled manner. During the first 3 to 4 weeks, tests will be conducted at various non-time-critical locations. After that, the system will be gradually rolled out. We will start at the so-called upstream location at Pier D, where a cluster of registration kiosks is located, and at Arrival Filter 1. If registration at the kiosks and in that arrival filter proceeds smoothly, we will gradually expand to other upstream locations and arrival filters. Therefore, non-EU travellers arriving at Schiphol from 12 October will initially have limited interaction with the EES.
Landing Page for Travellers to Schiphol
A dedicated landing page has been created for travellers to Schiphol, providing information about the EES and links to key information pages from the EU and the Dutch government. The landing page also features the animation below, which explains how the registration process at Schiphol works.
The government is calling on airlines to register for the EES via eu-LISA at Carriers | eu-LISA. Registered carriers will receive all necessary information and instructions for checking passenger data.