If you travel to Europe on a Dominica, Vanuatu or any other non-European passport, you hear two names a lot: EES and ETIAS. The first is working at the borders today; the second has not started. The information in this article comes from the official pages of the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, checked on 24 October 2026.
What the EES is
The Entry/Exit System digitally records the entries and exits of non-EU nationals for short stays in the Schengen countries.
- Start: 12 October 2025, with a progressive roll-out at the borders.
- Fully operational in all Schengen countries: since 10 April 2026.
- Since then, manual passport stamping has ended at the external Schengen borders.
- A short stay means up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
What is recorded
- passport data;
- a facial image;
- fingerprints;
- the date and place of entry and exit.
The European Commission says travellers can pre-register some data through the official "Travel to Europe" app up to 72 hours before arrival.
Who is not recorded in the EES
Citizens of the EU countries and of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are not recorded in the system. Nationals of other countries, whether they need a visa or not, are recorded on entry for a short stay.
What ETIAS is
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is an authorisation that nationals of Schengen visa-exempt countries must obtain online before travel.
- Who for: nationals of visa-exempt countries, for short stays in the Schengen countries and Cyprus.
- Validity: three years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. The authorisation is linked to the passport.
- Fee: in July 2025 the European Commission announced that the application fee will be EUR 20.
- Airlines and transport companies will check for the authorisation before boarding.
When ETIAS starts
In April 2026 the European Commission wrote that ETIAS was scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026, with the exact date to be announced later. As of 24 October 2026 we found no official start date in the EU's official sources. Before travelling, check the current position only on the official Travel to Europe website.
An important warning
ETIAS has not started yet. Websites that charge today to "apply for ETIAS" are not official. When ETIAS starts, applications will be made only through the EU's official website or app.
For holders of a second passport
- Dominica passport holders, who need no visa for a short stay in Schengen, are recorded in the EES and will need ETIAS once it starts.
- If your passport needs a visa for Schengen, you go through the visa process and are recorded in the EES, but ETIAS is not for you.
- For the Vanuatu passport's position, read our separate article on the Schengen and UK changes.
This article is general information and not legal advice. Decisions on entry always rest with the border officers.
Sources
- European Commission, main differences between the EES and ETIAS (28 April 2026) — https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/main-differences-between-ees-and-etias-what-travellers-need-know-2026-04-28_en (checked on 24 October 2026)
- European Commission, the EES fully operational from 10 April 2026 — https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/entryexit-system-will-become-fully-operational-10-april-2026-2026-03-30_en (checked on 24 October 2026)
- European Commission, who is exempt from the EES (27 July 2026) — https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/entry-exit-system-fully-operational-10-april-2026-who-exempt-2026-07-27_en (checked on 24 October 2026)
- Council of the European Union, how the Entry/Exit System works — https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/entryexit-system/ (checked on 24 October 2026)
- European Commission, the ETIAS fee will be EUR 20 (17 July 2025) — https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/european-travel-authorisation-etias-will-cost-eur-20-2025-07-17_en (checked on 24 October 2026)