France is working on solutions to prevent delays for foreign residents when the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) begins. EES will launch later this year, introducing new digital border checks for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals entering the Schengen area. Travellers must register their passport, fingerprints, and facial image in a central EU database.
New Travel Process at Airports
Self-service kiosks will appear at large airports, allowing travellers to input data before seeing a border officer. First-time EES users must still pass through a manned booth to complete the process.
Concerns for Foreign Residents
Residents of France or other Schengen countries will be exempt from EES registration—but they may still face long queues. There is uncertainty over how they’ll prove residency or access fast-track options like the Parafe e-gates. Currently, UK and US nationals can use Parafe gates at major French airports and Eurostar terminals to skip queues. French authorities are adapting Parafe gates to work with EES for faster repeat entry and exit. Once registered in EES, eligible travellers could use kiosks and Parafe gates instead of visiting border booths.
Unclear Path for Schengen-Based Residents
But it’s unclear whether Parafe gates will recognise Schengen-based foreign residents by scanning their residency cards. Legal and technical work is underway to allow this, but no rollout date has been confirmed. Data protection and legal hurdles remain, according to UAF legal expert Gaël Léon.
France’s airport body says it shares the goal of simplifying border control for long-term non-EU residents. Pre-registration kiosks have already been installed and tested at major airports, with improvements made after feedback. The EU plans to launch EES “progressively,” starting at select borders from October 2025, if legislation passes. Some passengers will register, while others may pass through without checks in the early stages.
Rollout Timeline and Biometric Data
EES will expand gradually, becoming fully operational across all borders within six months. Each country must decide which entry points will activate the system first. Biometric data collection will start as optional, becoming mandatory after the first month.
France still has time to prepare. Airports feel more confident with the extra year before full rollout.