The European Union’s long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational on 10 April 2026 and Brazilian media picked up the story on 11 April, outlining major changes for non-EU visitors. The Gazeta do Povo report confirms that the physical passport stamp is now history across the 29 Schengen states; instead, biometric data (fingerprints and facial image) plus digital passport scans will be recorded and stored for three years. For Brazilian tourists and short-term business travellers the main impact will be at the first point of entry: expect longer queues — airlines and airports warn of two-hour waits during peak periods until passengers have their biometrics enrolled. Subsequent trips within the validity window should be faster because data are pre-stored, but overstays will be detected automatically. The system counts the 90/180-day limit precisely, which means back-to-back weekend city-breaks or rotational offshore shifts must be planned carefully. Overstaying by even one day could trigger fines or multi-year re-entry bans. Companies rotating engineers into Germany or the Netherlands should audit travel patterns and consider applying for long-stay visas where cumulative days exceed the threshold. Travellers can pre-enrol via the ‘Travel to Europe’ mobile app up to 72 hours before arrival in participating countries such as Portugal and Sweden; however, an in-person verification is still mandatory on first entry. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprint capture but require a facial photo. The EES is the precursor to ETIAS, the paid travel authorisation that the EU expects to switch on later this year. Brazilian passport-holders remain visa-exempt for short stays but will soon have to pay €20 for ETIAS approval before boarding flights to Europe.
Source: Gazeta do Povo
