Say goodbye to your passport stamps (and hello to fingerprint checkpoints)
I love looking through the stamps in my passport. It’s proof that yes, I really did spend three hours at Charles de Gaulle waiting for my lost luggage.
Sad news. Europe’s pulling the plug on those little inked-up souvenirs and going high-tech.
Starting Oct. 12, 2025, when you enter the Schengen Area, you’ll face the new Entry/Exit System (EES), a fancy name for biometric border control. Instead of a stamp and a friendly “bonjour,” you’ll head to a kiosk where your face and fingerprints will be scanned, and your entry digitally logged into a giant EU database.
Yup, it’s basically like checking into the world’s fanciest club, except instead of bottle service, you’re getting your digital identity recorded for up to three years.
🏙️ Smile, it’s border time
This is important if you’re flying into popular European spots like France, Germany, Italy or Spain after mid-October. You’ll need to build in extra time to make a connecting flight.
You see, under the new system, you’ll need to do the full scan, i.e., passport, face, fingers and all. And here’s the sad kicker: no more passport stamps. That’s right.
Once the system fully rolls out in April 2026, border agents won’t stamp your passport, even if you ask nicely.
🚊 Not just in airports
Planning to take the Eurostar from London to Paris? Driving through the English Channel? Biometric border processing will be there, too.
Even if you’re coming in by ferry from the U.K., you’ll be scanned. The EU isn’t playing around with this digital gatekeeping.
📱 Back to the States?
While the EU’s going full sci-fi with its border tech, don’t forget the U.S. has its own digital shortcuts, and unlike that guy in line with four carry-ons, these actually help.
Here are the best apps for breezing through U.S. customs like a pro:
- Mobile Passport Control (MPC) (Android, iOS)
It’s free, it’s official (from U.S. Customs & Border Protection), and it lets you skip the regular line at many major airports. Just fill out your info in the app, submit when you land and head to the fast lane. - Global Entry app (Android, iOS)
OK, it’s not at every airport, but if you can use it, you’ll cruise through the U.S. checkpoints.
So if you’re traveling this fall, get your passport one last stamp while you still can. True story: I used a publicity shot for my passport photo. Let me tell you, I’m always so relieved when Border Patrol waves me through. 😅
Tags: airports, digital, luggage, passport, tech
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