Entry/Exit System News – 5 things to know!

What is the entry/exit system news everyone is talking about?

Referred to in French as the “Le système d’entrée-sortie”, the Entry/Exit System or EES is an electronic passport  monitoring system that will track visitors to the EU and eliminate the need for Human passport checks and stamps. It’s going to record lots of information including biometric travel details, so your holiday nails will be seen before you even get to your resort!

The big entry/exit system news is that everyone will be able to be tracked and it will be super easy to flag anyone who has overstayed their welcome! So make sure you have enough EU days before you book! The rule is 90 days out of 180… so unless you’ve been on some big trips this summer, you should be absolutely fine!

How does the EES affect visas and the 90/180 day rule?

If you’re travelling with us on a UK passport then it’s super easy and the EES doesn’t change anything! The UK is ‘visa-exempt’ along with the USA, Canada and Australia so you’ll still be able to travel just with your passport! We’re expecting that this may change for the following year, where you may have to complete some pre-departure paperwork. But for this winter 2024/25, you just need your passport!

You may have previously found out that the stamp system wasn’t necessarily the most secure way to monitor how long travellers were staying in the Schengen Zone… you may have even overstayed yourself! The good old days are over, as they say, and the entry/exit system news means travellers will be flagged for a fine as soon as they reach the 90 days! That’s not the story we want you to be sharing after an incredible winter adventure with us!

Will the EES cause airport delays?

In short, we wish the answer was different but… yes. To avoid the peak of the summer season, they’re introducing the EES on the 10th November 2024, just a few short weeks before our first guests will be heading for the slopes! Whether you’re flying with us or making your own way to France via another airport, the Ferry or the Eurostar, the queues are predicted to be a little longer than we would like. Everybody will need to complete pre-registration forms with the EU border guards, who will also capture your biometric data. We recommend that you arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare, especially if you’re travelling during the earlier part of the season!

In simple terms, how does the ESS work?

The first time you enter the EU after 10th November 2024, will be the only time you meet the friendly smiles of the EU border guards, to have your biometric data captured. After this, you’ll pass straight through a swipe in/swipe out system, similar to the passport scanners we already have in many airports. The difference with the new scanners is, they will register extra details and include your immigration status, overstayed visas and immigration offences. It should mean the following Ski Vertigo holiday we see you on, will be a much quicker airport experience!

What does Ski Vertigo recommend to make travelling stress free this winter?

As always, we want to keep it simple and easy for you to travel with us, so our advice comes in just 2 parts!

First, check your passport, make sure it’s in date and if you think you may be close to reaching your 90 day limit, take 10 minutes to be sure you have 7 days left! The European Commission have built a calculator, so you don’t even need your maths brain for this one!

The other half of our advice is to leave enough time! We know that travelling to our snow-sure ski resorts can be a long day but it’s absolutely worth it. The worst case scenario is you arrive at the airport and your pre-holiday excitement builds whilst you’re queuing with your friends or family. With any luck, you will beat the queues and you can get excited over your early morning caffeine fix and a cooked breakfast!

Finally, keep up to date with the entry/exit system news to ensure there are no surprises!