The short version
EES happens to you at the border and costs nothing. ETIAS will be something you do before you travel, online, for a fee. EES has been operating since 10 April 2026. ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point.
| EES | ETIAS | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Entry/Exit System | European Travel Information and Authorisation System |
| Operating? | Yes, since 10 April 2026 | No. none published start date. |
| What it is | A border registration system recording entries, exits and biometrics | A pre-travel authorisation checked before boarding and at the border |
| When | At the border, every crossing | Before travel, online |
| Cost | Nothing | EUR 20 per application |
| Who | Non-EU nationals on short stays, visa holders included | Nationals of 59 visa-exempt countries and territories |
| Countries | 29 | 30 |
| Validity | Not applicable, it is a record rather than a permission | Three years, or until the travel document used in the application expires, whichever comes first. |
Official source Checked 10 September 2026 EU or national government source. Source
The country lists are not the same
30 European countries will require ETIAS. 29 operate the EES. The difference is Cyprus, which will require an ETIAS travel authorisation but does not run the EES and still stamps passports by hand.
That difference is not a rounding error, and it has a practical effect: time spent in Cyprus is counted separately from the short-stay allowance for the other countries.
Which one affects your next trip
If you are travelling to Europe now, the EES affects you and ETIAS does not. You will be registered at the border, your first crossing will take longer than it used to, and your days will be counted automatically.
ETIAS will affect a later trip, once the requirement starts, and there will be advance notice plus a transitional period first. The launch status tracker holds everything that has actually been published about timing.
They will work together
Once both are running, the two systems will complement each other. ETIAS will be checked before boarding and on arrival as an entry condition; the EES will record the crossing itself and keep the count of days used. One is permission to travel, the other is the record of having travelled.
Common questions
Do I need both?
You do not apply for the EES at all, so there is nothing to need. If you are a national of a visa-exempt country and the ETIAS requirement has started, you will need a travel authorisation and you will also be registered in the EES when you cross.
Is the EES why the queues were bad?
First registration takes longer than a stamp, and the rollout ran through 2025 and into 2026 across every external crossing point. Queues were widely reported during that period. Later crossings are a verification against an existing record rather than a fresh enrolment.
Does ETIAS replace the EES?
No. They are separate systems under separate regulations and neither replaces the other.
I have a visa. Does any of this apply?
The EES applies to short-stay travellers whether or not they hold a visa. ETIAS will not apply to you: it is for travellers who are visa-exempt. You can check eligibility if you are unsure which group you fall into.
Last verified 10 September 2026. How we verify