Alongside ETIAS, the European Union is modernising its borders with the Entry/Exit System (EES). If you are a non-EU traveller arriving at Frankfurt Airport, this changes how you cross the border — replacing the familiar passport stamp with a quick biometric check. Here is what to expect.
What Is the EES?
The EES is an automated system that registers non-EU nationals each time they enter or leave the Schengen area. Instead of an officer stamping your passport, the system records your entry and exit electronically, along with biometric data — a facial image and fingerprints.
What Happens at the Border
On your first entry under the EES, you register your biometrics at a kiosk or with a border officer. This first registration takes a little longer. On later trips, the system recognises you, so crossings are faster — often via self-service gates.
At Frankfurt, travellers with a biometric passport can pre-register at a self-service kiosk where one is available (scan your passport, then have your photo and fingerprints taken) and then have a short check at the border desk. Without a biometric passport, if you need help, or for children under 12, registration is done at the counter by the officer; children under 12 do not have their fingerprints scanned.
The first crossing is the slow one; after that, the biometric border is designed to be quicker than the old stamp.
When Did It Start?
The EES started on 12 October 2025 with a six-month phased roll-out and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 at every external border crossing of the countries using it. Since that date, passports of non-EU short-stay visitors are no longer stamped. Frankfurt Airport moved non-EU travellers onto the EES on 29 October 2025 and warns that it can mean longer waits at border control, so allow a little extra time on your first EES arrival.
EES vs ETIAS — What's the Difference?
- EES = the border system itself (biometric entry/exit registration). No application; it happens at the border.
- ETIAS = an authorisation you will apply for online before you travel, once it launches (the EU expects the last quarter of 2026). See our ETIAS guide.
You may deal with both: apply for ETIAS at home, then register under the EES on arrival.
How to Make It Smooth
- Have your passport ready and know which terminal you arrive at: Terminal 2 closed to passengers on 9 June 2026, so flights now use Terminal 1 or the new Terminal 3, linked by the free SkyLine train. See our complete airport guide.
- On a first EES trip, build in extra buffer for the border, especially after a long-haul flight.
- Frequent visitors from the US, Hong Kong, South Korea or Taiwan can register once with the Federal Police at the airport for EasyPASS-RTP and then use the automated gates.
- Don't count on the EU's Travel to Europe pre-registration app at Frankfurt: as of September 2026 it is supported only when entering Sweden and Portugal, so at FRA the kiosks are the way to pre-register.
- Pre-book your onward transfer with flight tracking, so a slower border never means a lost ride.
After the Border
Once you have cleared passport control and the EES, the rest of your arrival is the easy part: collect your bags, walk into the public arrivals hall, and your FrankfurtRide driver is waiting with a name board. Because we track your flight and every pickup includes 90 minutes of free waiting time, a longer border queue simply adjusts your pickup — no stress, no extra charge. See all our routes.
New formalities can stretch the queue, but your ride shouldn't leave without you: FrankfurtRide drivers track your actual exit from arrivals, and a fixed-price transfer waits as long as it takes.
