EU changes entry rules: no more passport stamps

The European Union is launching a new entry and exit system (EES), including for Ukrainian citizens. The system will be launched on October 12, 2025, reported Embassy of Ukraine in Poland.

The stamp in the passport will no longer be put – this is already "history". Instead, there will be a fully digital registration, and the data will be stored in an electronic database.

The embassy said that the EES system is an automated database that records the crossing of the EU's external borders by third-country nationals. It is directly tied to the "golden rule of visa-free travel" and counts the days of stay – no longer than 90 days within 180 days.

"Previously, border guards used to look at the passport, count the days, and sometimes they could get confused. Now the EES will count the days automatically and accurately. That is, the control structure itself is becoming stricter," the embassy noted .

Data to be collected by the system:

→ face photo;

→ four fingerprints (from the age of 12);

→ passport details;

→ date and place of departure and entry to the EU;

→ cases of refusal of entry.

The embassy emphasized that providing biometric data is mandatory, and attempts to evade are a legal ground for refusal of entry to the EU. The procedure for crossing the border after the rules are updated will be as follows:

→ all passengers must get out of the vehicle and approach a special terminal or border guard;

→ go through the procedure for collecting photos and fingerprints;

→ the data is automatically recorded in the EES system, and after that you can return to the car.

The embassy emphasized that the system may work differently with trains, as everything will depend on the specific checkpoint.

There are three goals of the new system: effective control over compliance with the rules of stay in Europe, prevention of the use of fake documents and increased security in the Schengen countries.

• on August 26, the government allowed men aged 18-22 to leave Ukraine during the war. However, this does not apply to officials, clarified in the Border Guard Service.