A New Era for Travel to Europe: EES and the Corporate Visa Guide

A New Era for Travel to Europe: EES (Entry/Exit System) and Digital Transformation in Visa Processes

If you are planning to travel to Europe for business or leisure, a brand-new era will welcome you at border crossings as of 2025.
The European Union’s digital border management system – EES (Entry/Exit System) will eliminate passport stamps; all entries and exits will be recorded fully electronically.

This innovation will directly affect both individual and corporate travel processes. So what exactly is EES, who does it apply to, and how should companies adapt employee travel to this new system?

 

What Is EES (Entry/Exit System)?

EES is a new system where records of non-EU travelers entering or exiting the Schengen Area are stored digitally.
Manual passport stamping is removed and replaced with biometric verification and automated data recording.

The main objectives of the system are:

• Speeding up border crossings and reducing waiting times
• Preventing identity fraud and enhancing security
• Digitally tracking the “90/180-day rule” to prevent overstays

This system becomes mandatory in 29 European countries as of 12 October 2025.

What Does This Mean for Corporate Travel?

The EES system requires companies to be more careful in planning employee travel to Europe.
The system will automatically calculate each employee’s length of stay in Europe, reducing visa violation risks and making travel policy compliance easier to monitor.

VikingOn aims to ensure a smooth transition by integrating travel planning, visa coordination, and EES consultancy processes for corporate clients.

 

Biometric Registration: A New Era of Identity Verification

The most significant innovation of EES is biometric data registration.
Upon first entry into the Schengen Area, border officials will collect facial recognition and fingerprint data.
This data will be stored for three years and used to automatically verify identity during future entries.

This makes the process faster, safer, and free from human error for frequent corporate travelers.

 

Who Is Covered by EES?

EES applies to all non-EU travelers visiting for short stays.
This includes all Turkish citizens.

• Schengen visa holders
• Visa-exempt travelers
• All travel subject to the 90/180-day rule

The system will be used for both visa-required and visa-free short-term visits.

 

Which Countries Are Included in EES?

EES will apply throughout the Schengen Area, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, as well as Romania and Bulgaria.
Ireland and Cyprus are currently excluded.

 

The Cascade System and Long-Term Visa Facilitation

Because EES digitizes your visa history, it indirectly supports long-term visa policies known as the “Cascade System.”
Travelers who regularly enter and exit on time may have a higher chance of obtaining longer-term Schengen visas in future applications.

 

Summary for Travelers

✅ Farewell to Passport Stamps
All entries and exits will be recorded digitally.

✅ Biometric Verification
Facial and fingerprint data will be collected on first entry and used for future recognition.

✅ Faster and Safer Border Crossings
Digital kiosks will shorten procedures.

✅ 90/180-Day Tracking
Automatic stay calculations eliminate overstay risks.

 

Prepare for the EES Era with VikingOn

Viking Tourism and VikingOn.com provide comprehensive consultancy for corporate clients in EES and visa processes:

• Visa application coordination
• Employee travel history reporting
• Schengen compliance checks
• EES-compliant travel planning

Avoid delays, missing documents, and visa violations in your European travels.
👉 VikingOn Corporate Travel Team simplifies, accelerates, and secures your processes in the new era.