Italy’s international residents say they’ve received three different answers about how the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) applies to them, leading to confusion and longer waits at borders despite their legal exemption from certain procedures.
The EES, which became fully operational across the Schengen area on 10 April 2026, replaced passport stamps with automated biometric registration at external borders. While designed to streamline travel and enforce the 90/180-day rule for short-stay visitors, the system has created unexpected delays for long-term residents in Italy who hold valid residence permits.
According to reports from The Local Italy, international residents have encountered inconsistent information from border officials, airlines, and local authorities regarding whether they must undergo EES biometric checks when entering or leaving Italy. Some say they were told they are exempt due to their residency status, others were directed to leverage the kiosks anyway, and a third group reported being subjected to additional questioning despite presenting valid permits.
The system, developed by the EU agency eu-LISA at a cost of €1.3 billion, requires non-EU travellers to scan their passports, provide facial images, and submit four fingerprints at self-service kiosks or via border officer tablets. It automatically calculates remaining days of stay within the Schengen zone and flags potential overstays.
While the European Commission states the EES saves officers up to 30 seconds per passenger by eliminating manual stamp checks, real-world implementation has led to significant bottlenecks. The Airports Council International (ACI) reported in mid-April 2026 that travellers at major airports in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and Greece were experiencing waits of up to three hours during peak periods, particularly as the summer travel season began.
At Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino airports, over 150 EES kiosks were installed to allow pre-enrolment and faster processing through automated e-gates. However, land borders such as Trieste and Ventimiglia continue to rely on mobile tablets used by the Guardia di Finanza, which has contributed to slower throughput and confusion over procedures.
For Italy’s estimated 5 million international residents, the situation is especially frustrating. Many hold long-term EU residence permits or are family members of EU citizens, which under current rules should exempt them from short-stay tracking mechanisms. Yet the EES does not distinguish between tourist and resident status at the point of entry, triggering biometric checks for all non-EU passport holders regardless of their right to reside.
This lack of differentiation has forced residents to repeatedly explain their status to border guards, often delaying not only themselves but also others in line. Mobility managers and corporate relocation services have been urged to update internal travel tracking systems to account for the EES’s 24-hour period calculations, which now trigger alerts if a traveller approaches the 90-day limit within any 180-day window.
The European Commission has acknowledged teething problems with the system’s rollout, noting that Italy chose a phased implementation to avoid disrupting holiday travel peaks in late 2025. Full deployment across all Schengen external borders was completed by 10 April 2026, with the system now active at airports, seaports, and land crossings.
Looking ahead, the EES is expected to integrate with the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will require visa-exempt travellers to obtain pre-authorisation before visiting the Schengen area. ETIAS is scheduled to launch in mid-2027, adding another layer to pre-border screening.
For now, Italy’s international residents are advised to carry proof of residence at all times when travelling, arrive well before scheduled departures, and consult official sources such as the Italian Ministry of Interior or their local questura for the most current guidance on border procedures.
As of 16 April 2026, no official changes to EES exemptions for residence holders have been announced by the European Commission or eu-LISA. Travellers seeking updates should monitor the official EES portal at travel-europe.europa.eu/ees or contact their national border police authority.
Have you experienced delays or confusion at Italian borders since the EES launched? Share your story in the comments below or join the conversation on social media using #EESItaly.