The EU Entry/Exit System at Italian airports
Since October 2025, non-EU travellers are registered with fingerprints and a facial image when they enter Italy. Here is what to expect at passport control, and how to get through faster.
- 12 Oct 2025Launch in Italy
- 10 Apr 2026Fully operational
- FreeNo fee to register
The EES in brief
The Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers on a short stay each time they enter or leave the Schengen area. On your first entry into Italy since 12 October 2025, you give a facial image and fingerprints at passport control instead of receiving a stamp. Registration is free and takes place at the airport.
- Who
- Non-EU nationals, short stays
- What
- Facial image and fingerprints
- Children under 12
- Facial image only
- Cost
- Free
- Not the same as
- ETIAS, expected late 2026
What is the EU Entry/Exit System?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the European Union's automated register of non-EU travellers crossing the Schengen area's external borders. It replaces the manual stamping of passports: instead of a stamp, each entry and exit is recorded digitally, together with a facial image and fingerprints. It also calculates automatically how many of the 90 days allowed in any 180-day period a traveller has used.
When did it start in Italy?
The EES went live on 12 October 2025. Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa were among the first Italian airports to use it, and the system has been fully operational at every external border crossing since 10 April 2026.
Who has to register?
Non-EU nationals travelling to the Schengen area for a short stay, whether they need a visa or not. That includes travellers from the United States, the United Kingdom, the Gulf states, Asia and Latin America.
The following are not registered: citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland; holders of a residence permit or long-stay visa issued by a Schengen country. Children under 12 are registered with a facial image but no fingerprints.
What happens at passport control on your first entry?
- Your passport is scanned, at a self-service kiosk where available or at the border police desk.
- A facial image is taken and, from the age of 12, four fingerprints.
- The border officer checks your documents and may ask about the purpose and length of your stay.
- Your entry is recorded. On later trips, a quick check of your face or fingerprints is usually enough.
The first registration takes longer than a passport stamp, which is why queues at non-Schengen arrivals, such as Terminal 3 at Fiumicino and Terminal 1 at Malpensa, can grow at peak times.
How to save time at an Italian airport
- Allow extra time for your first entry after 12 October 2025, especially for tight connections.
- Keep your passport at hand and remove glasses or hats for the facial image.
- Travelling with children or older relatives? Ask for assistance in advance.
- With a meet & greet service, an agent meets you as you leave the aircraft, guides you to the right kiosk or desk and uses the priority lanes wherever the airport opens them.
Sources
This guide summarises official information from the European Union. Rules can change: always check the official sources before you travel.
EES: your questions
Anything else, our team answers on WhatsApp.
Do I need to register in the EES when I land in Italy?
Yes, if you are a non-EU national entering the Schengen area for a short stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. EU, Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian and Swiss nationals are not registered, nor are holders of an Italian or Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa.
Does the EES cost anything?
No. Registration in the Entry/Exit System is free of charge and happens at the border; there is nothing to apply for in advance.
What data does the EES collect?
Your name, travel document details, the date and place of each entry and exit, a facial image and fingerprints. Children under 12 give a facial image only. The record is generally kept for three years.
Is the EES the same as ETIAS?
No. The EES records your entries and exits at the border. ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation that visa-exempt travellers will need to obtain online before travelling, once it launches; the EU currently expects it in the last quarter of 2026.
How can I avoid long queues at passport control?
Allow extra time on your first entry, keep your passport ready, and consider a meet & greet service: an agent who knows the hall takes you to the right kiosk or desk and uses the priority lanes wherever the airport opens them.
Arriving at Fiumicino or Malpensa?
Our agents meet you as you leave the aircraft and stay with you through passport control.
FCORome Fiumicino
At Terminal 1 or Terminal 3, your agent meets you as close to the aircraft as the airport allows, takes you through passport control and baggage claim, and walks you to your car. Central Rome is under an hour away.
MXPMilan Malpensa
Milan's intercontinental gateway is 50 km from the city. Your agent meets you at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, guides you through the formalities and hands you to your chauffeur, for Milan or the lakes.
Request a meet & greet
Book online in five steps: no payment, confirmed in writing.