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 alter in a giant method, 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 must journey smarter. The European Union has been speaking about new, high-tech border programs for years, making a ton of confusion. Now, it is lastly occurring, and it is kicking off with a complicated, country-by-country rollout.

The huge information? Starting October 12, 2025, Americans heading to the gorgeous 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 way 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 supply your biometric information: particularly, four fingerprints and a facial photograph.

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

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Hold On, Is This The Same as ETIAS?

This is probably 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 picture 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 residence. 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 might be flying into Zagreb or Dubrovnik, or crossing one other worldwide border into Croatia after this date, you’ll be directed to the brand new EES kiosks. You’ll scan your passport, present your fingerprints and picture, and reply a number of questions on the display. It’s a change, however 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 in all probability see the brand new EES kiosks already put in. However, they’re not but necessary for all vacationers.

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

This implies that in the interim, you may face a patchwork of programs. You’ll get your fingerprints scanned in Croatia, however you may nonetheless get a traditional stamp in your passport when you fly to France or Italy.

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This is the primary, concrete step in a serious shift for European journey. To keep on prime of this and every other adjustments, the most effective instrument is our 1 Minute Trip Check, which provides you the real-time entry necessities for any vacation spot.