First things first: what exactly is EES?
The Entry and Exit System is an enhanced biometric passport check designed to replace manual passport stamping for non-EU visitors.
It was gradually introduced starting in October 2025 via a phased six-month rollout that completed on April 10th.
EES serves the dual purpose of increasing the accuracy of ID checks by adding biometrics and catching over-stayers.
You’ll only come across it when entering or exiting the Schengen area – not travelling within the EU/EEA.
The first time a user encounters the system, they’ll need to register their details and biometrics (fingerprints and face scan) at a self-service kiosk. EES then stores this data for three years, or until you get a new passport.
How is EES being implemented in Italy?
Each Italian airport (or port) is individually responsible for implementing EES, meaning your experience is likely to vary significantly depending on which one you travel through.
Italy’s application of the system has so far got off to a rocky start, with over a hundred easyJet passengers left stranded at Milan Linate earlier this month after they got stuck in border control queues.
While many of those passengers were holidaymakers, EES has generated the greatest confusion for international residents of Italy.
People in this situation are supposed to be exempt from the requirement to register with the system – a fact that many Italian airport officials seem to be either unaware of or unwilling to engage with.
READ ALSO: Q&A: What are the EES rules for residents arriving at Italian airports?
One Italy resident told us they’d been given conflicting directions on each of the three occasions they’d passed through Rome Fiumicino: use the EU line, use the ‘All Passports’ line, and use the automatic gates.
The Local has contacted Italy’s major airports to ask what international residents should do when leaving and re-entering the Schengen zone. We will update this article when we receive further information.
How should I plan for travel this summer?
The European Commission has given member states the option of suspending EES for up to 90 days after the April 10th rollout deadline (with a possible 60-day extension) to avoid further travel chaos over the peak summer season.
Italy hasn’t yet said whether it plans to take the EU up on the offer.
In the meantime, anyone entering or exiting the Schengen area via Italy’s airports this summer should allow plenty of extra time in case they get caught up in EES queues.
The Airports Council International warned on April 10th that the mandatory registration of non-EU travellers was causing "passenger waiting times of 2 to 3 hours at airport border control during peak travel periods" across multiple airports, with passengers missing flights and "significant disruption to flight operations."
While the EU’s Travel to Europe app was designed to allow travellers to reduce their wait time by pre-registering their data, as of April 2026, it was only available for travel to Sweden and Portugal.
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