EES Is Live: Do You Need a New Passport Photo? (April 2026 Update)

The short version

• EES launched 10 April 2026 at all Schengen border checkpoints.
• You do not need to upload or bring a new photo for EES. The facial image is taken at the border on first entry.
• Schengen visa photo specs (35×45 mm) are unchanged. If you are applying for a visa, the photo requirement is exactly what it was in 2025.
• ETIAS is coming in Q4 2026 - no photo upload required for that either, based on official guidance.
• The only thing that has changed at the border itself: an extra 30-90 seconds for biometric capture on first entry.

What is EES, exactly?

The Entry/Exit System is an automated IT system that registers non-EU travellers each time they cross the external Schengen border. It replaces the manual passport stamp with a digital record. The system stores:

• Your name, date of birth, and travel-document data
• The date and place of entry and exit
• Four fingerprints
• A facial image for biometric matching

EES applies to short-stay travellers (up to 90 days in any 180-day period) who do not hold an EU/EFTA passport, residence permit, or long-stay visa. So: most US, UK, Canadian, Australian, Indian, Brazilian, and other third-country nationals, whether visa-required or visa-exempt.

Where the photo confusion comes from

Three things got mashed together in the public conversation around EES, and the result is a wave of "do I need a new photo" questions:

1. The Schengen visa photo - a 35×45 mm photograph submitted with a visa application. This has existed for years and the spec is unchanged.
2. The EES facial image - captured at the border by an officer or kiosk on first entry. You do not provide this, the system takes it.
3. The ETIAS authorisation- a separate online system launching in Q4 2026 for travellers who don't need a Schengen visa. Based on official guidance, it does not require a photo upload.

Travel agents, immigration consultants, and embassy front desks have not always been clear in distinguishing these three, and that's where the "new EES photo" misconception spread.

What still requires a photo (and the spec)

If you need a Schengen visa to enter - that is, you hold a passport that is not on the visa-free list (Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Nigerian, Chinese, Russian, and many others) - your visa application still requires a printed or digital passport-style photograph. The specification:

What happens at the EES border on first entry

On your first crossing into the Schengen Area after 10 April 2026, expect this sequence at the border:

1. An officer or self-service kiosk scans your passport.
2. You place four fingers (typically right hand) on a fingerprint scanner.
3. A camera takes a live facial image - looking straight at the lens, neutral expression. No need to remove your glasses for this; the algorithm handles it.
4. The system creates your EES record with a 3-year retention period.
5. You proceed through the border check.

Total time: roughly 1-3 minutes per traveller for first registration. After that, repeat entries within 3 years use a self-service kiosk and take 30-60 seconds.

Children, fingerprints, and exemptions

• Children under 12: facial image is taken, fingerprints are not.
• EU/EFTA citizens: exempt entirely - no EES record, no biometric capture.
• Long-stay visa or residence permit holders: exempt for the duration of the permit.
• Diplomats with diplomatic visa: exempt under standard diplomatic rules.
• People physically unable to provide fingerprints: facial image only.

Which countries use EES?

All 29 Schengen states - the EU members participating in Schengen plus the four associated countries:

• EU Schengen members: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
• Non-EU Schengen associates: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.

Ireland and Cyprus do not participate in EES. Crossing from Ireland to France, however, counts as a Schengen entry and triggers EES at the French border.

EES vs ETIAS - what's the difference?

Practical advice for travel in 2026

1. If you need a Schengen visa: get the standard 35×45 mm photo. Nothing has changed about the spec. The free Schengen visa photo tool crops any photo to the exact dimensions in your browser.
2. If you're visa-exempt (US, UK, Canada, etc): wait for ETIAS to open in Q4 2026, then apply online. No photo needed.
3. Arriving at a Schengen border in 2026:budget an extra 5-15 minutes at passport control during peak hours, especially during the rollout months. Bring kids' passports and have them ready for face capture.
4. Don't fall for "EES photo packages" from third-party services.There is no such thing. EES does not accept uploaded photos.

FAQ