Frontex has launched a new mobile application to streamline border control by allowing non-European Union (EU) travelers to pre-register for the EU’s upcoming Entry/Exit System (EES).
Set to debut at Sweden’s Arlanda Airport, the “Travel to Europe” app aims to cut wait times and ease processing at major travel hubs across Europe.
Mobile app eases new border process
Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, unveiled a mobile application called Travel to Europe. The app allows non-EU travelers to pre-register their personal and travel information before arriving at border control.
This supports the rollout of the EU’s new EES, set to begin this autumn.
The app gathers data that border officers would otherwise enter manually—passport details, a facial image, and responses to the entry conditions questionnaire.
By submitting this information early, travelers help speed up checks at busy entry points.
“The app is ready to be used with the start of the EES in the coming autumn,” said Frontex Deputy Executive Director Uku Särekanno during Identity Week Europe 2025 in Amsterdam.
“Frontex has done its part, developed a scalable and secure app. Now it is up to every Member State to integrate the app with its national systems.”
First launch begins in Sweden
The app will first go live at Arlanda Airport in Sweden this year. Other trial locations will follow in 2026, including selected major entry points in the Netherlands, France, and Italy.
Portugal and Greece have also expressed interest in using the technology.
Despite its potential, use of the app remains voluntary. Both travelers and member countries can choose whether or not to participate.
Still, Frontex encourages its adoption. “We see a clear added value in big travel hubs, where the time savings brought about by the app would make a real difference,” Särekanno said.
App offers simplicity, not a replacement
The Travel to Europe app does not replace border checks. It only streamlines them.
Border officers will still inspect travelers and validate their documents. But the app helps by reducing data-entry tasks, especially at airports with heavy traffic.
Frontex said that this pre-registration setup benefits both travelers and authorities. It reduces processing time, lowers bottlenecks, and frees up border personnel to focus on high-priority inspections.
Digital border control grows across EU
The Travel to Europe app is part of a broader digital transition across European border control.
The EES, a new EU-wide database, will automatically record when non-EU travelers enter and exit the Schengen Area. It replaces manual passport stamping and increases security by detecting overstays or repeat entries.
Once fully in place, the EES will store names, travel document data, biometric details, and entry/exit records. The system aims to improve external border management while identifying threats more efficiently.
Frontex’s role is to ensure the technology works across various countries with different systems. The app must connect securely to each nation’s database and adapt to national procedures.
Streamlining border crossings for travelers
The new Frontex-supported “Travel to Europe” app allows non-EU visitors to pre-register their travel documents and facial image before reaching border checkpoints, expediting the process under the EES launching this autumn.
This development directly supports the upcoming European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) by easing data collection and reducing bottlenecks at busy travel hubs.
For both short-term tourists and long-term business travelers, this means shorter wait times and more predictable entry experiences at major airports like Arlanda in Sweden and future sites in France, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Implications for migrant populations
While the EES app is framed as a tool for efficiency, its broader use may increase surveillance and scrutiny of third-country nationals, including migrants.
Though voluntary, widespread adoption by Member States could mean that non-EU individuals regularly crossing borders—including migrant workers or those with irregular status—might face greater digital tracking and data storage.
Over time, this could further institutionalize technological gatekeeping without addressing humanitarian concerns.
Reinforcing national control through digital borders
This mobile app initiative signifies a shift toward harmonized but technologically reinforced border procedures among EU nations.
Though participation is voluntary, Frontex’s push for integration with national systems reflects a strategic alignment of immigration enforcement tools across the bloc.
As the EES and ETIAS become operational, Member States are likely to tighten identity verification, monitor entry/exit more rigorously, and standardize digital data-sharing—hallmarks of a more security-driven immigration policy landscape.
A digital gateway to smoother borders
With the launch of the Travel to Europe app, Frontex signals a pivotal shift toward smarter, faster border crossings—one that balances security with traveler convenience.
As the EES rolls out, the true impact of this digital innovation will lie in how widely Member States embrace its potential. For now, the future of border control is in the palm of our hands.