Why Europe will soon be collecting Australian travellers' biometric data
A woman has her fingerprints scanned during border crossing check. Shutterstock
By Sarah Falson
Updated August 20 2025 - 9:02am, first published 8:42am
Border control procedures are changing for Australians travelling to Europe from October 2025. Subscribe now for unlimited access.
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Australians will soon have their fingerprints and photo taken and questions asked to create a digital record.
European countries using the EES will gradually introduce the system at their external borders and data collection will progressively be phased in at border crossing points, with full implementation by April 10, 2026.
There are 29 countries in the Schengen area of Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and more.
Australians can travel for short trips - including tourism, visiting friends and family and transit - without a visa, to the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
You'll need a visa if you're staying for over 90 days. What data does the EES collect?
The new EES collects, records and stores your full name and date of birth, date and place of each entry and exit, your facial image and fingerprints (called "biometric data"), and whether you were refused entry.
The information collected creates a digital record of each passenger and if you revisit the area within three years, you'll only need to provide your fingerprint and/or photograph at the border on entry and exit.
The Netherlands is in the Schengen area. Picture: Shutterstock
Once it is fully implemented, it will replace the current system of manually stamping passports.
Smartraveller has warned the new registration process should only take a few minutes but there could be longer queues when it starts.
Soon, Australians will need to undertake pre-travel screening before entering European Schengen countries.
An Australian passport and flight boarding pass. Picture: Shutterstock
The ETIAS is being introduced to find out more about incoming travellers for security reasons.
Delayed a number of times, the new system will now start operations in the last quarter of 2026.
Words by Sarah Falson Sarah is ACM's travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me. Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life.
My top travel tip is … Don't plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what's within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.
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