Ghanaian travellers have been urged to prepare for the full implementation of the Schengen Area’s Entry/Exit System (EES) from April 10, 2026, which will replace manual passport stamping with automated data collection at external borders.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the advisory on April 9, noting that the system was initially rolled out on October 12, 2025, and has been gradually introduced at border crossings across the 29 European countries that make up the Schengen Area.

The EES is an advanced IT platform designed to record the entry and exit details of non-EU nationals, including personal data, biometric information such as facial images and fingerprints, travel documents, and records of entries, exits, or refusals of entry for short-stay purposes.

The Ministry highlighted that implementation procedures may vary slightly between Member States to accommodate national operational and technical requirements, in line with Regulation (EU) 2025/1534.

Certain categories of travellers are exempt from registration under Article 2(3) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226. These include non-EU nationals with residence cards related to EU citizens, those travelling for intra-corporate transfers, research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchanges, educational projects, or au-pairing, as well as holders of long-stay visas and residence permits. Heads of state, accredited diplomats, certain armed forces personnel, cross-border workers, and railway crew members on international journeys may also qualify for exemptions under specific conditions.

The Ministry advised Ghanaian nationals travelling to the EU or Schengen Area to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and ensure compliance to avoid complications at border checkpoints. Further information is available on the official EES portal at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ghana remains committed to advancing the interest of Ghanaians and counts on the cooperation of travellers to the EU/Schengen area,” the statement read.