EES and ETIAS: Entering Europe by Private Jet

EES: what is recorded, and of whom

The Entry/Exit System replaces the passport stamp with a digital record. It was rolled out gradually from 12 October 2025 and reached full operation on 10 April 2026 across the twenty-nine Schengen borders.

The scope is broad: every national of a non-EU, non-Schengen country, whether or not that nationality requires a visa, for short stays of up to ninety days in any hundred and eighty. An American, a Thai and a Japanese traveller are treated identically.

Three categories of data go into the record:

• The travel document details
• The place, date, time and purpose of each entry and each exit
• The biometrics: a facial image, and fingerprints for everyone aged twelve and over

Citizens of the European Union are exempt, as are nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and by exception those of Andorra, San Marino, Monaco and the Holy See.

How it works at a business terminal

The registration is the same in a business terminal as in a passenger terminal. The difference is the queue, and there is none.

On a first entry, expect the facial image and the fingerprints to be captured by a border officer. It adds a few minutes to an arrival that otherwise takes very little time. On subsequent entries the record already exists and the check is quicker, which is the one respect in which the system works in the frequent traveller's favour.

One practical consequence deserves flagging. Member States retained a degree of temporary flexibility after 9 April 2026, allowing them to ease or suspend checks when queues build at peak times. That flexibility is designed for commercial terminals under pressure, and it should not be counted on: on a private arrival, plan for the full procedure.

ETIAS: the one you will have to apply for

ETIAS is a different animal, a travel authorisation obtained online before departure, in the same family as the American ESTA or the British ETA. Travellers from visa-exempt countries are concerned, the United States among them. There is a form to fill in.

Its launch is expected in the last quarter of 2026, and it will not become mandatory before 2027. The sequence is deliberate: ETIAS starts only once EES is fully deployed, so any slippage on one moves the other.

As of September 2026 it is not yet required. A traveller arriving in France today needs a valid passport and will be registered in EES. Nothing more.

What a private flight changes, and what it does not

The setting changes entirely. Clearance happens in a business terminal, without a queue, often with the aircraft a few metres away.

None of the rules move. Border formalities apply identically, and no operator, broker or private terminal exempts a passenger from EES registration or, in due course, from ETIAS. A traveller without the required documents is refused entry exactly as on a scheduled flight. There is no exception for private aviation.

What we do is prepare the file: confirm the passport validity of every passenger before the flight, including children and companions, and brief the crew on the arrival airport's procedure. The rest is the border police's work, and it goes quickly when the paperwork is right.

Arriving in Europe with IBC Aviation

Entry formalities are the first thing we check on a file to or from Europe, before the aircraft. The wider picture, from the entry airports to the cabotage rules, is set out in our guide to coming to France by private jet.

The office handling your request is the one closest to your destination, not to you, which means the person dealing with the border and the ground handling is in the same time zone as the airport. Our Paris airports page sets out the arrival platforms.

The dates and rules on this page reflect the position in September 2026. Both systems are moving, and we recheck them with every request.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 92 372 4680
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

Is EES already in force?

Yes. It was rolled out gradually from 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 across the twenty-nine Schengen borders.

Do I need to apply for EES before travelling?

No. EES is automatic and happens at the border. It is ETIAS, expected in the last quarter of 2026 and mandatory from 2027, that will require an online application before departure.

What exactly is recorded?

Your travel document details, the place, date, time and purpose of each entry and exit, a facial image, and fingerprints for everyone aged twelve and over. Children under twelve are exempt from fingerprinting.

Does it apply at a private jet terminal?

Yes, identically. The procedure is the same as in a passenger terminal; only the queue disappears, which is the whole point of arriving that way. On a first entry, allow a few minutes for the biometric capture.

Who is exempt?

Citizens of the European Union, along with nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and by exception those of Andorra, San Marino, Monaco and the Holy See. Everyone else is registered, visa or no visa.