If you are flying into Berlin Brandenburg (BER) from outside the EU in 2026, two abbreviations matter, and travelers mix them up constantly. EES, the Entry/Exit System, is already running: since 10 April 2026 every non-EU visitor is registered biometrically (face photo plus fingerprints) instead of getting a passport stamp. ETIAS, the online travel authorisation for 20 euros, is NOT live yet: it is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026, and until then you cannot and do not need to apply for anything. So for a trip to Berlin today the practical formula is: passport as before, no pre-registration, but plan extra time at the border for the biometric check, especially on your first arrival.
Here is what actually happens at BER, step by step.
EES in one paragraph
The Entry/Exit System is the EU's digital border ledger. Instead of ink stamps, the Schengen area now records your name, travel document, face image, fingerprints, and the date and place of every entry and exit. It applies to non-EU nationals on short stays (the classic 90 days in any 180), whether you need a visa or not, so it covers UK, US, Canadian and most other visa-free passports too. The system was rolled out in phases from October 2025 and has been fully operational at all external Schengen borders, including all German airports, since 10 April 2026. Your 90/180 allowance is now counted automatically, which means overstays are flagged by the computer, not by a border officer flipping pages.
What it looks like at BER
At Berlin Brandenburg the registration happens at the border control area in Terminal 1 (and T2 arrivals feeding into the same checkpoints), where self-service kiosks and staffed booths share the job.
First arrival after the rollout: you complete the full enrolment, the kiosk or officer captures your face image and fingerprints and links them to your passport. Plan for this to take a few minutes per person on top of the usual checks; industry data puts the added processing time at up to 70 percent in the early months, and summer 2026 is the first peak season under the full system.
Every following trip: the border becomes faster than the old stamp era. Your biometrics are already on file for three years, so the check is a quick face match, increasingly done at automated eGates.
Families: children under 12 are exempt from fingerprints but still get the facial image; kids go through with their parents at the staffed lanes.
EES vs ETIAS, untangled
| Question | EES | ETIAS |
|---|---|---|
| What is it | Biometric entry/exit registration at the border | Online travel authorisation before the trip |
| Status in mid-2026 | Fully operational since 10 April 2026 | Not launched; expected Q4 2026 |
| What you do | Nothing in advance; biometrics at the airport | Nothing yet; later a 10-minute online form |
| Cost | Free | 20 euros (free under 18 and over 70) |
| How long it is valid | Biometrics stored 3 years | 3 years or until the passport expires |
When ETIAS does launch, there will be a transition period of about six months during which travelers without it are still admitted, so nobody arriving in Berlin will be turned around on day one. We will update this guide when the start date is official; beware of lookalike websites selling "ETIAS applications" today, since anything sold before launch is a scam, and the only legitimate source is the EU's official travel portal.
Practical advice for a BER arrival
The honest expectation-setting: BER's border control was never the fastest part of the airport, and EES adds a one-time enrolment step. If you land during the morning long-haul wave or around the summer holiday peaks, budget 45 to 60 minutes from gate to landside on a first EES arrival, and noticeably less on repeat trips. Connecting onward inside Schengen? The biometric check happens once, at your first Schengen entry point; if Berlin is your transfer airport, the EES queue at BER is exactly where your connection time gets spent, so our layover guide and the arrivals walkthrough help with realistic timing. Once you are through, the city is 30 to 45 minutes away; the transfer options comparison covers trains, buses and taxis with current prices.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ETIAS to visit Berlin right now?
Does EES apply to me if I have a Schengen visa?
Will I be fingerprinted on every trip to Berlin?
What happens to my 90/180-day count?
Sources
Rules verified in June 2026 against the European Commission's pages. Border procedures evolve; the official EU portal is the final word. This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the airport. Photo: Devilfighter_de / Bonus bon, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.
