New rules for entry into Schengen countries apply: To come into effect on Hungarian-Serbian border on October 28

From today, biometric data of passengers will be collected at border crossings. Faces will be scanned, fingerprints and passport information will be read, as well as information on the exact date of entry and exit from the European Union countries. The new Entry/Exit digital border management system (EES) will become operational in 29 European countries from today, October 12, and, as announced by the Council of the European Union, it will strengthen border security and increase efficiency for passengers.

As said, the new system will digitally record entries and exits, and data from the passport, fingerprints, and facial images of non-EU nationals travelling for short stays in EU member states.

This data will be stored in a common European database and later only digitally checked during subsequent entries into the EU. This should reduce paperwork and speed up procedures.

The new EU EES rules for entry into the Schengen countries at the Hungarian-Serbian border will come into force on October 28 at 8 am, first at the Tompa-Kelebija border crossing, and from November 4 at the remaining border crossings with Serbia.

European officials admit that the introduction of the new IT system could be accompanied by problems. That is why it was decided to start out of season, with correction mechanisms.

What Serbian citizens need to know

For Serbian citizens, the rules of residence remain unchanged – they remain visa-free for 90 days in any 180-day period. After the first time, the control will look similar to today’s electronic gates at airports: a passport is swiped through a reader, a camera checks the face, and a confirmation of residence status arrives in a second.

– The system will help the border police gain a better insight into who is entering the EU and how long they are staying. All people of good will need not worry about anything and can continue to arrive as before. In the worst-case scenario, they will have to wait a little longer at the beginning. But the authorities will have mechanisms to deal with this – says Assita Kanko, the European Parliament rapporteur for the Entry/Exit digital border management system (EES).

At the moment, only Luxembourg and Estonia are fully ready to implement the system. In all other countries, implementation will start first at major airports and some road crossings. Full implementation at all external Schengen borders is expected from April 2026.