The Travel to Europe mobile application developed by Frontex allows non-EU travellers to pre-register their travel document data and facial image for the Entry/Exit System (EES) before arriving at a border crossing point.
Voluntary EES pre-registration is one of the ways to reduce processing times at the border, benefitting both national authorities and travellers. It does not replace border control procedures but aims at making them smoother and faster.
More information about the EES.
Frontex developed Travel to Europe to support Member States in the implementation of the EES and to facilitate border checks for travellers. The app builds on the Agency’s APP4EES pilot project, which tested the prototype of the app at Arlanda and Schiphol airports.
In autumn 2024, Frontex made the app available for Member States to integrate into their national systems. The use of the app is voluntary for Member States, who can decide if, when, how and where they may wish to use it. Interested Member States should express their intention to join the app to Frontex.
Frontex supports Member States throughout the onboarding process, from planning to security and operational testing. Once the app has been implemented by a Member State, non-EU travellers can use it to pre-register some of their information for the EES prior to arriving at the external border of that Member State. Sweden is the first country that confirmed it will use the app at selected border crossing points, including Arlanda airport, once the EES starts.
The ETIAS Central Unit of Frontex provides 24/7 support in English to the Member States and travellers using the app.
Travel to Europe makes registration in the EES smoother. Non-EU travellers with valid biometric passports can use it to pre-register their travel document details and facial image for the EES within 72 hours before arriving in or leaving the EU. Travellers can also use the app to fill in the so-called conditions of entry questionnaire in advance. Member States are free to choose which functionalities of the app they wish to use as part of their border control activities.
Using the app reduces the number of steps travellers have to go through at the border when entering or exiting the EU after the start of the EES. Furthermore, it makes it more comfortable for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people with disabilities, or children, to register their travel data. Travellers do not need to be registered in the EES to use the app.
Pre-registration with the app does not grant an automatic right to cross the external border of the EU. When travellers arrive at the border, they will still go through border checks. For security and technical reasons, fingerprints will also need to be scanned at the border in the presence of a border guard.
Learn more about the app from the Tallinn Digital Summit 2024 Keynote: Innovating Europe's Borders.