Americans Will Have To Get Fingerprinted Traveling To This European Country Starting October 12

For many years, the ritual of getting into Europe has been the identical: a pleasant greeting, a fast look at your passport, and that satisfying ‘thump’ of a contemporary passport stamp. But that entire course of is about to vary in a giant manner, and the primary main shift is going on subsequent month.

Here at Travel Off Path, we’re all about providing you with the true, on-the-ground intel you should journey smarter. The European Union has been speaking about new, high-tech border techniques for years, making a ton of confusion. Now, it is lastly taking place, and it is kicking off with a complicated, country-by-country rollout.

The large information? Starting October 12, 2025, Americans heading to the beautiful coastlines of Croatia would be the first to expertise a totally new entry course of, one that features getting fingerprinted and photographed.

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First, What Is This New System?

This new course of is a part of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). The easiest method to consider it’s this: the EES is formally changing passport stamps.

Instead of a border officer stamping your passport, you’ll use a self-service kiosk to scan it. On your first entry into a rustic utilizing the system, additionally, you will have to offer your biometric information: particularly, four fingerprints and a facial photograph.

This info is then saved securely for 3 years. On subsequent journeys, the method will likely be a lot sooner; you may simply want a fast facial scan to confirm your id towards the profile already within the system. The aim is to hurry up border crossings and improve safety.

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Hold On, Is This The Same as ETIAS?

This is essentially the most complicated half for vacationers, so let’s make it crystal clear: No, the EES is totally separate from the ETIAS.

Think of it like this:

• EES (The Kiosk): This is the bodily course of on the border. It’s the brand new high-tech system that takes your fingerprints and photograph as a substitute of stamping your passport.
• ETIAS (The Website): This is the online travel authorization you’ll need to use for earlier than you permit dwelling. It’s the $7.50 move that’s nonetheless scheduled to launch within the final quarter of 2026.

You cannot have one with out the opposite, which is why the rollout has been so sophisticated. The ETIAS system cannot launch till the EES infrastructure is working.

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What To Expect in Croatia Starting October 12

Croatia’s Ministry of Interior has confirmed it’s formally activating its system, making it the first European nation to take action.

If you’re flying into Zagreb or Dubrovnik, or crossing one other worldwide border into Croatia after this date, you may be directed to the brand new EES kiosks. You’ll scan your passport, present your fingerprints and photograph, and reply a number of questions on the display. It’s a change, nevertheless it’s designed to be an easy course of.

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What About The Rest Of Europe?

This is the place the “confusing rollout” is available in. If you fly into main airports like Paris (CDG), Rome (FCO), or Madrid (MAD) this fall, you’ll most likely see the brand new EES kiosks already put in. However, they’re not but obligatory for all vacationers.

For now, these different nations are sticking to the plan of a coordinated, Schengen-wide launch within the first half of 2026.

This implies that in the meanwhile, you may face a patchwork of techniques. You’ll get your fingerprints scanned in Croatia, however you may nonetheless get a basic stamp in your passport in the event you fly to France or Italy.

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This is the primary, concrete step in a significant shift for European journey. To keep on high of this and every other modifications, the most effective software is our 1 Minute Trip Check, which supplies you the real-time entry necessities for any vacation spot.