EES with a baby: the EU Entry/Exit System for UK families
Key facts
Short answer: yes, babies go through the EU's Entry/Exit System, but children under 12 are not fingerprinted, only photographed. It's free, there's nothing to apply for in advance, and for Eurostar, Eurotunnel and Dover it's done in the UK before you leave. Flights register on arrival. ETIAS is separate and not running yet, so don't pay any website for it.
The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has replaced passport stamping for British travellers visiting the Schengen area. Babies and children are included, but children under 12 aren't fingerprinted; they can be photographed. It's free, there's nothing to apply for before you go, and on Eurostar, Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover it happens before you leave the UK. Here's what it means for a family trip, by plane, train, ferry or cruise.
Everything below comes from GOV.UK, official EU sources and Eurostar, checked October 2026. Rules change, so check before you travel.
Quick answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does my baby have to go through EES? | Yes. GOV.UK says all travellers, including babies, will be photographed and have digital records created (GOV.UK news) |
| Will my baby be fingerprinted? | No. Children aged 11 or younger won't have their fingerprints scanned, but can be required to have their photo taken (GOV.UK Spain travel advice; EU) |
| Does EES cost anything? | No. There is no cost for EES registration (GOV.UK) |
| Do we need to do anything before we travel? | No. You don't need to provide any information before travelling (GOV.UK) |
| When did it start? | EES started on 12 October 2025 (GOV.UK). The EU says the gradual rollout ran until 9 April 2026 and it has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 (EU EES FAQ) |
| Which countries use it? | The 29 Schengen countries, including France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway. Not Ireland or Cyprus (GOV.UK) |
| How long does the registration last? | GOV.UK says your digital EES record is valid for 3 years (GOV.UK); its campaign page says a rolling 3 years or until the passport expires (GOV.UK news) |
| How long does it take? | GOV.UK says checks should only take 1 to 2 minutes per person, but queues at the border may be longer (GOV.UK news) |
| Is ETIAS the same thing? | No. ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation that isn't running yet. Don't pay any website for it now (see below) |
What actually happens at the border
On your first visit to the Schengen area, you may be asked to create a digital record at the port or airport, by giving your fingerprints and having your photo taken at dedicated booths. You may also be asked for a fingerprint or photo when you leave (GOV.UK). On later trips, GOV.UK says you'll only need to scan your passport and give either your fingerprints or a photo (GOV.UK news).
For a family with a baby, that means:
- Adults register fingerprints and a photo.
- Your baby is not fingerprinted, but can be photographed, and gets their own digital record (GOV.UK news).
- Every child needs their own passport, which is what EES scans. Our baby passport guide covers applying, photos and timings.
GOV.UK asks travellers to follow directions from their travel operator, port or airport, and to make border staff aware if they expect any issues completing the biometric checks (GOV.UK). A wriggly baby who won't face a camera counts, so say so at the booth.
Where you'll do it: by route
| How you travel | Where EES happens |
|---|---|
| Eurostar from London St Pancras | In the UK, before you leave. You may be asked to use self-service pre-registration kiosks, in three areas of the station, before the ticket gates (GOV.UK) |
| Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, Folkestone | In the UK, at a purpose-built pre-registration area with self-service kiosks (GOV.UK) |
| Ferry from the Port of Dover | In the UK, at a purpose-built processing area at the new Western Docks (GOV.UK) |
| Flights, and ferries from other UK ports | On arrival in your destination country (GOV.UK) |
| Flying home from the Schengen area | Allow extra time to reach your gate, as EES checks may take place before boarding (GOV.UK Spain travel advice) |
On Eurostar, Eurostar says EES is free, there's nothing to apply for, and you should simply arrive at the recommended time on your ticket, which already allows for ticket, security and border checks, including any EES steps (Eurostar Help Centre). More in our Eurostar with a baby guide.
Cruises and fly-cruises
GOV.UK has specific guidance for cruises (GOV.UK):
- Round trips from a UK port (starting and finishing outside the Schengen area) are usually exempt from EES for day trips ashore in Schengen ports. Port authorities can still ask passengers to complete checks in some circumstances.
- Fly-cruises that board in the Schengen area, such as Barcelona, Palma, Genoa or Civitavecchia, may mean EES checks at your first point of entry, usually the airport you fly into.
- If you leave a cruise in a Schengen port and travel on another way, you may need EES checks when you get off the ship.
Planning a cruise with a baby? See our cruise line baby rules, our Costa guide, and our fly-cruise with a baby guide for flying to Spain or Italy to join the ship.
Your baby's passport and Schengen rules
EES doesn't change the passport rules. For Schengen countries, GOV.UK says a British passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date you arrive and must have an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (GOV.UK Spain travel advice). Child passports only last 5 years, so the expiry date is the one to check. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and that limit applies to babies too (GOV.UK).
At Spanish airports, GOV.UK says e-gates are only an option for travellers aged 18 or over, so families with babies should expect the staffed desks (GOV.UK Spain travel advice).
Who doesn't register
GOV.UK says British citizens covered by Withdrawal Agreement residence documents, and UK-EU dual citizens using their EU passports, are exempt (GOV.UK news). Exempt travellers should show their exempting document to a border guard rather than register. The full list of exemptions is on the EU's Travel Europe website (GOV.UK).
ETIAS: not yet, and don't pay anyone for it now
ETIAS (the European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a separate online travel authorisation. GOV.UK's guidance, last updated 10 April 2026, says the EU is expected to start ETIAS from autumn 2026, that no action is needed yet, and that the EU will announce the exact start date before launch (GOV.UK).
When it starts, GOV.UK says UK passport holders without a visa or residence permit will need to apply before travelling to the Schengen area, give personal and trip details, and pay a €20 fee. Any website selling ETIAS now is doing so fraudulently; only apply on the official EU website once it opens (GOV.UK). We haven't stated ETIAS rules for children, because we couldn't confirm them on an official page we could read. We'll update this page when the EU announces the details.
Tips for the border with a baby
- Keep the passports together and easy to reach, one per person including the baby.
- Join queues fed and changed where you can. GOV.UK warns waits may be longer at busy times.
- Use the pushchair or a carrier in the queue so your hands are free for the passport scanner.
- Tell staff early if your baby won't sit still for a photo; GOV.UK asks you to flag any problems with the biometric checks.
- Allow extra time on the way home too, as checks may happen before boarding.
- Sort the other paperwork at the same time: every family member needs their own GHIC.
Greener note
Going by train or ferry from Dover means your EES checks are done in the UK before you leave, so you arrive in France ready to go. See Eurostar with a baby and trains and ferries for the lower-carbon way to Europe.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- GOV.UK: EU Entry/Exit System guidance (FCDO and Cabinet Office, last updated 10 April 2026), campaign to prepare British travellers for EU border changes (Home Office, 8 September 2025), Spain travel advice: entry requirements
- European Union: EES, EES FAQ, children and fingerprints (Schengen IT glossary)
- Eurostar Help Centre: What's the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES)?
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Last checked and updated: · Kiddieko · How we check facts
