Take note, globetrotting stamp collectors: Once your European trip is over, your passport will be empty fast.
The European Union announced last week that it will introduce an electronic border system later this year, eliminating the need to stamp passports at ports.
From November 10, travellers' faces and fingerprints will be scanned upon entering Europe, and the biometric data will be matched with their passport and used to verify the individual's identity on future arrivals and departures.
The EU will no longer stamp passports starting this November. Shutterstock / Kittyfly
“We will introduce digital border controls at every airport, every seaport and every road into Europe,” EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson told USA Today in an August 16 speech.
“This would mean the end of passport stamps and the introduction of digital checks.”
But to use the system, visitors will need a biometric passport, or an e-passport, which contains a biometric identifier and an electronic chip for added security. U.S. e-passports have been distributed since 2007, but travelers without a biometric passport can enter the EU but are subject to additional screening.
“The entry/exit system would allow us to know exactly who is entering the Schengen area with a foreign passport and if they are staying too long – helping to tackle illegal immigration,” Johansson said, reported Metro UK.
“And the entry-exit system will make it harder for criminals, terrorists and Russian spies to use fake passports.”
Instead, EU visitors will be scanned by an electronic security system and their biometric data will be kept on file to verify their identity and passport status. Shutterstock / Media Lens King
Next, the EU will also introduce the ETIAS system, a travel authorization system for foreigners. To visit the 30 European countries that require an ETIAS identity card, travelers from 60 countries will need to complete an application for less than $8 and wait for approval, which could take hours, days, or weeks.
Johansson said ETIAS will be introduced in spring 2025, but approved applications will be valid for three years or until the individual's associated passport expires.
