by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Mon September 29, 2025
Canadians travelling to Europe will soon face a new layer of border control as the European Union (EU) launches its long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) on October 12, 2025.
The digital registration system will apply to all non-EU nationals, including Canadian citizens, visiting the 29 countries of the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
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The EES is designed to replace manual passport stamping, though stamping will continue during a 180-day transition period. Full implementation across all Schengen external borders is expected by April 10, 2026.
What Canadians Should Expect
- Biometric registration at the border: On arrival, Canadians will need to provide fingerprints and a facial image.
- Use of self-service kiosks: Travellers with ePassports can use kiosks before proceeding to a border officer for final checks.
- Data storage: Biometric data will be stored for three years, meaning repeat travellers will not need to re-register within that timeframe.
- Automatic tracking: The system will track entries, exits, overstays, and refusals of entry. Overstays could result in fines, deportation, or future entry bans.
Schengen Area Rules Remain
The existing 90-day visa-free travel limit for Canadians remains unchanged under the new system. Time spent in any Schengen country counts toward the 90-day allowance.
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Travellers planning extended stays must apply for the appropriate visa in advance, as the EES will automatically detect overstays.
Countries Affected
The Schengen area currently includes 29 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
While border checks are typically absent between Schengen countries, temporary internal controls can be reinstated under exceptional circumstances.
What Travellers Don’t Need to Do
Canadians don’t need to apply for anything before departure — registration happens upon arrival. However, officials caution that border processing may take longer in the early stages of implementation.
Other European Destinations
Some European countries, including the United Kingdom and Ireland, are not part of the Schengen area and have their own entry requirements.
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Canadians visiting the U.K., for example, now require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that must be obtained before travel.
More information at https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/travelling-europe
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