End of the stamp in the passport: new border control system comes into force in the European Union

How the new entry system into the European Union works The passport stamp for travelers entering the European Union is officially over. Since October 2025, the bloc’s countries, such as Portugal and Spain, began implementing the new digital border control system and, this Friday (10), it became the only option. When disembarking in Schengen countries, with free movement in the bloc, passengers from outside the European Union, with or without a visa, must now scan the document at a self-service totem. The procedure allows the recording of biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial image. Afterwards, travelers pass through immigration agents. Unsplash passport stamp/ Kit (formerly ConvertKit) This new system aims to modernize and streamline border controls, prevent irregular immigration and strengthen security in the EU, according to the European Commission. The only exceptions are for Ireland and Cyprus. The implementation of automated control began gradually in October 2025. At the time, it caused many hours of waiting at some airports, such as Lisbon, in Portugal. This Friday (10), the agency reported that since the beginning of implementation, more than 27 thousand people have been refused entry to the block, including 700 considered a security threat. “Since its introduction, more than 52 million entries and exits have been recorded,” said the commission, welcoming the full implementation of the mechanism. “Registering a traveler takes, on average, just 70 seconds, which is a very short period of time,” the institution also noted. Replacing manual stamps, the new system records travelers’ contact details and biometrics and their entry and exit dates, allowing authorities to monitor illegal stays and refusals of entry into the EU. The measure applies to citizens of countries outside the European Union, that is, outside the 27 Member States of the European Union, in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It is important to remember that this new system is not the European Travel Information and Authorization System (Etias), the electronic travel authorization, which should only be implemented at the end of 2026. With AFP See more: See which documents are needed to obtain a passport Fear of turbulence? Find out which seats shake the least on the plane Fear of turbulence? Find out which seats shake the least on the plane

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