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.
The purpose of the voluntary EES
pre-registration is 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
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 confirmed to
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 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.
This reduces the number of steps
travellers have to go through at the border when entering or exiting the EU for
the first time 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 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.