EU to require biometric scans for entry

The European Union’s Entry/Exit system, which will require biometric scans for non-EU citizens entering its external border for short visits, will take effect on Oct. 12 after suffering long delays. The system will capture a traveler’s name, facial scan, and fingerprints, and the date and place of entry and exit alongside a passport scan. The system will gradually replace passport stamping and be fully implemented by April 2026, the European Commission announced on Wednesday. The regulation was passed in 2017, but stalled while waiting for technical and legal arrangements, according to a commission report.

Henna Virkkunen, a European Commission official for technology oversight, said that the system reflected Europe’s commitment to security and innovation. Biometric scans would be secure, efficient, and travel-friendly, she said.

How will the European Union store and use the data? Travelers’ biometric data will be stored for three years, according to the European Commission. ​​The new system will retain for five years the records of people who overstay their visas. The system meets the highest standards of data and privacy protection, according to the commission. It will also keep records of refusals of entry. The data will be available to border security and law enforcement, as well as to the United Nations or other third parties under certain conditions.

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