Americans To Be Fingerprinted And Registered To Enter EU From November
For years, Americans have been allowed to enter (most of) Europe unrestricted, without overly strict checks or entry permits required
In some airports, like Charles de Gaulle in Paris and Fiumicino in Rome, they are even allowed to use eGates upon landing, like they’re Europeans.
Starting from November, however, they will be faced with additional bureaucracy.
Following years of deliberation, the Brussels-led bloc is finally reforming its border policy to meet the challenges of modern times, from security threats to irregular migration.
U.S. passport holders will not be exempt from further scrutiny when flying into the zone.
Starting from November 2024, if you’re an American, you should expect to get fingerprinted and registered upon crossing the European border, and there’s just no getting around it:
Why Is Europe Tightening Border Checks For Americans?
As confirmed by Ylva Johansson, the European Union Commissioner, the much-delayed Entry-Exit System (EES) of the European Union will launch on November 10 in an attempt to modernize the continent’s borders and strengthen security.
The EES is hardly a novelty–we’ve been reporting on it extensively over the past three years–but this is the first time the EU commissioner herself has confirmed a start date following multiple setbacks.
In case you’re still wondering what the EES entails, it refers to a biometric system that will use a traveler’s digital photograph, personal information and fingerprints to control their border movements, as well as their length of stay.
In general, Americans can only remain in the continent, or more specifically, the 29-country Schengen Area for 90 days out of any 180-day period; this means any time spent in any participating country counts towards the established limit.
For example, if you’re traveling long term and staying in Italy for a whole month, savoring your way through the southern Puglia region and going on a museum haul across the cultural hotspots of Florence and Rome, you’ll then only have 60 days to travel around 28 other Schengen countries.
As you should know by now if you’ve ever flown across the pond, European border officials continue to stamp passports of foreign arrivals, and those timed entries are usually their only indication as to how long an individual has remained in the Schengen territories.
From November onward, everything changes, and here’s how:
What Changes From November 10?
‘When that happens, it will be goodbye to passport stamping, hello to digital checks for all passengers from outside the EU‘, noted Johansson.
In effect, Americans––as well as all other non-European travelers––will be required to have their biometric data registered landing in Europe starting from November 10, with the information being stored in a database for three years.
This seems to coincide with the validity period for an ETIAS––Europe’s soon-to-be-launched travel permit also applying to Americans––so it appears re-registration will be enforced simultaneously following every ETIAS renewal.
In simpler terms, it might be that, if you’re a frequent traveler to Europe, this means applying for an ETIAS, and registering your data into the EES every three years, or earlier if you’ve recently renewed your passport.
Regarding ETIAS, the much-debated, controversial entry authorization system is set to be introduced from 2025 only, so you don’t need to worry about that specifically if you’re traveling in the Old Continent this upcoming winter.
Once the ETIAS is fully operational, you will not be allowed to board Europe-bound flights unless you’ve been pre-screened and submitted an application online in advance.
This is in fact less complicated than it sounds, as every ETIAS application is processed online, and the application process itself takes no longer than some minutes, with most travelers, particularly low-risk ones like Americans, being expected to get instant approval.
You will have to pay a €7 fee, though, and remember, holding a valid ETIAS does not guarantee entry into Europe: that’s still up for border officers to decide, and they will definitely take into account your profile as a traveler, and whether you have a history of respecting the 90 day rule or not.
That’s where the EES comes into play.
One thing is for certain: travelers will not need to undergo the registration process every time they enter and leave the bloc.
Long story short, out with passport stamps, in with fingerprinting and digital checks.
‘At every single airport, every single harbor and every single road into Europe, we will have digital border controls––all connected, all switched on at the very same time‘, concluded the EU Commissioner.
See more here traveloffpath.com
Some bold emphasis added
Thanks to Nancy Ryan
Please Donate Below To Support Our Ongoing Work To Defend The Scientific Method
PRINCIPIA SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL, legally registered in the UK as a company 
incorporated for charitable purposes. Head Office: 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX.
Trackback from your site.
Michael Abbott
| #
The same thing has been going on for “aliens” for years when entering the USA. You have to have a preordered ESTA, very similar to the ETIAS I suspect, and be photographed and fingerprinted as well. I thought the ESTA would save time but you still have to join a usually long queue to go through what was already there at immigration.
Reply
Lorraine
| #
I’m happy to have treasured memories of the Europe that no longer exists.
Wonder how many would be tourists will refuse to voluntarily participate in digital surveillance? There are plenty of places in the US, and even in my home state that I’ve yet to explore.
Reply
Michael Abbott
| #
Virtually everything we do and everywhere we go is monitored by something. Your phone listens to you and will send you adverts according to what you say even when you are not talking on it. The genie is out of the bottle on this one.
Reply
Lorraine
| #
You are right about the surveillance state but there’s no need to voluntarily participate. I don’t do social media other than Disqus and sites like this one. I put my phone and iPad in airplane mode and keep it in one place on a different level of my home when not in use. I pull the plug on the TV since I’m not a viewer myself but keep it in tge house for guests. I won’t register with a political party, but as an independent voter. I don’t make political contributions and I register to vote in the primary of my state at the deadline date and drop my affiliation the day after the election.
I do the best I can to stay out of the limelight.
Reply
Seriously
| #
None….
Reply
Seriously
| #
Big Brother is HERE. With cameras everywhere, basically license plate readers for the face, you will travel no where, from supermarket to dog park, w/o having your digital data uploaded, sorted, stored and filed…use your card for purchases and they will know Everything about you, 24/7….for your safety, of course….🤐
Reply
George
| #
I’ll enjoy America and visit Europe remotely through the YouTube channel. I have zero interest in subjecting myself to this rubbish and soft tyranny. The Europeans had no issue allowing hordes of illegal immigrants into their EU and the flagrant abuses, injuries and death these hordes committed to innocent people and especially women. Pathetic!
Reply
Seriously
| #
Hahaha!!! Thanks for the LOL! AMERICA, home of the free, home of the brave…home of the surveilled…bought a new car? Smart TV? Etc.? You are already being followed, watched, everywhere…
Reply
Tom
| #
The EU is purely communist and anti-human. Then again, the people there don’t seem to mind too much.
Reply
Michael Abbott
| #
Why would you say that when the EU is merely emulating what has been introduced by the States for years now. I travel yearly to the States so I can speak from experience. Read my post above. I’m no lover of the EU but fairs fair.
Reply
Lorraine
| #
The difference is America has the second Amendment. We are armed if we so choose for self protection. In America we would prefer to “die with our boots on”, according to the old adage. We won’t be herded like cattle.
Reply
Seriously
| #
Not for long….they are busy, busy, busy trying to revoke that, as you should well know. Mills &Genz will let it happen….generations that won’t put 2 &2 together – understand Exactly why it’s important to our fundamental rights – that history can repeat and we would be as helpless as the rest of the world where suppression is the hand that can suddenly slap you into non existence.
Reply
Lorraine
| #
“Out of my cold dead hands!”
Quote is from Charlton Heston, the sentiment is from all freedom loving Americans.
I refer you back to the adage I cited previously, Americans would choose to die with their boots on, if you know what I mean.
S.C.
| #
Meanwhile, the traitors (fraudulently) running the United States will let anybody and everybody into America, regardless of illness, criminal history, etc. Why? Mainly in effort to make sure non-Americans decide the fate of America in November. It is the greatest betrayal of citizens in history.
Reply
Anapat
| #
USA started the ESTA thing. I think Europe should have started to do the same thing to Americans a long time ago.
Reply
S.C.
| #
Not if you enter illegally. The fraudulent Biden-Harris Administration refuses to enforce laws that actually protect Americans. Again, it’s the greatest betrayal against a citizenry by any government in history.
Reply
Anapat
| #
Why bother the people in transit with this ESTA thing? They don’t want to visit your shitty country. Leave them alone!
Reply
Joe
| #
So, you are all concerned about security in Europe??? How about the millions of criminals WALKING across the US border every year!!! WAKE UP!
Reply