EES Pre-Registration: What You Can Do Before You Travel
There is nothing you must register in advance for the EES — biometrics are taken at the border. An optional EU app can pre-load some details in a few countries. Here is how it actually works.
What the EES actually requires
The Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026, records non-EU visitors at the external border: a facial image, fingerprints, and the data from your passport, replacing the old entry stamp. This happens at the border on your first crossing. There is nothing you must apply for, pay for, or register on a website before you travel. The full picture of how the system works is set out in the EES explainer.
The optional "Travel to Europe" app
The EU's border agency, Frontex, publishes a free official app called "Travel to Europe." Travelers with a biometric (chip) passport can use it to pre-enter their passport details, a facial image, and the conditions-of-entry questionnaire within 72 hours before travel. Submitting this in advance moves part of the process off the border line and can shorten the check. Using it is voluntary — both for travelers and for the countries that choose whether to accept it.
What the app cannot do
The app does not collect fingerprints. Those are taken at the border, in person, on your first crossing, whether or not you used the app. It also does not guarantee entry: the border officer still makes the final decision, and you may still wait in line with other non-EU arrivals. Pre-registering speeds up the step; it does not replace the border check or the biometric enrollment.
Where it works right now
As of mid-2026 the app is available in only a limited number of locations, and each country decides which of its functions to switch on. Sweden and Portugal were the first to offer it, with pilots planned elsewhere. Because coverage is partial and still changing, check whether your specific arrival airport supports it before you rely on it — and if it does not, simply complete the standard registration at the border as everyone else does.
Use only the official app
Download only the official "Travel to Europe" app published by the European Union. Fake EES and ETIAS apps and lookalike websites are common; they may charge for something that is free or collect your data. The EES itself has no fee and no official pre-registration site beyond this app.
Children
Under EES rules, travelers under 12 give a facial image but are not fingerprinted; those aged 12 and over are fingerprinted like adults. Every traveler is registered individually.
The short version
For almost everyone, the honest answer is that there is nothing to do in advance: arrive at the border with a valid passport and complete EES registration there. The optional app is a convenience in a few places, not a requirement anywhere.
Sources
Frontex — "Travel to Europe" app; European Commission — Entry/Exit System.
About this page
This page provides general information only and is not immigration or legal advice.