International visitors have been puzzled to find French border guards still stamping passports despite the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) going live in October 2025. A French border-control Q&A published on January 8 clarifies why manual stamps will persist until at least April 10, 2026. Although EES kiosks are operating at some airports, the regulation includes a six-month ‘progressive start-up’ during which data gaps mean officers must continue stamping to guarantee legal proof of entry and exit.
Technical snags have slowed deployment: kiosks at Paris-Charles de Gaulle were taken offline after software glitches, and maritime crossings at Dover and Eurotunnel terminals lack the bandwidth to process vehicle traffic smoothly. Under EU rules, stamping remains mandatory whenever EES data are incomplete.
![Passport Still Being Stamped? France Explains Slow Roll-Out of EU Entry/Exit System]()
For business travellers, the mixed regime means that overstays will still be judged against physical stamps, not digital records. Companies should remind non-EU assignees to verify that passports are stamped on both entry and exit to avoid Schengen-overstay fines until the full switchover.
The article also notes that once EES is fully operational, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will follow in Q4 2026. Organisations should therefore audit traveller-data capture systems now to ensure they can reconcile both physical and electronic records during the transition.
Border authorities stress there is “nothing to worry about” if a passport receives a stamp—indeed, it remains the traveller’s best evidence that the 90/180-day Schengen clock has started. Mobility managers should update induction packs accordingly and schedule refresher training for front-line travel coordinators.
Technical snags have slowed deployment: kiosks at Paris-Charles de Gaulle were taken offline after software glitches, and maritime crossings at Dover and Eurotunnel terminals lack the bandwidth to process vehicle traffic smoothly. Under EU rules, stamping remains mandatory whenever EES data are incomplete.
For business travellers, the mixed regime means that overstays will still be judged against physical stamps, not digital records. Companies should remind non-EU assignees to verify that passports are stamped on both entry and exit to avoid Schengen-overstay fines until the full switchover.
The article also notes that once EES is fully operational, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will follow in Q4 2026. Organisations should therefore audit traveller-data capture systems now to ensure they can reconcile both physical and electronic records during the transition.
Border authorities stress there is “nothing to worry about” if a passport receives a stamp—indeed, it remains the traveller’s best evidence that the 90/180-day Schengen clock has started. Mobility managers should update induction packs accordingly and schedule refresher training for front-line travel coordinators.
Source: The Connexion
