New EU Entry/Exit System: What UK and US Guests Need to Know for Istria
· By Lovely Istria
The EU's new biometric border system is now fully up and running, with Croatia leading the way. Here's what UK, US and other non-EU guests should expect at the border before their Istria villa stay.
If you are travelling to Istria from the United Kingdom, United States or another non-EU country and are covered by the new Entry/Exit System, or EES, your border procedure now looks slightly different.
EES is a digital system used to record the entry and exit of certain non-EU nationals travelling to the Schengen area for short stays.
What is EES?
EES began its gradual rollout on 12 October 2025 and became fully operational across participating countries on 10 April 2026.
Instead of receiving a traditional passport stamp, your entry and departure are recorded digitally.
During your first registration, authorities may record information from your passport, a facial image and, where applicable, fingerprints.
The system also helps authorities monitor the 90-days-in-any-180-day-period rule.
How does EES work in Croatia?
Croatia has operated EES fully at all 77 international crossings on its external Schengen border since 1 March 2026.
Airports in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar and Rijeka have EES self-service kiosks that can assist eligible travellers with pre-registration.
If you fly directly to Pula from outside the Schengen area, you can complete the necessary procedure there.
If you drive into Croatia from Slovenia, there is normally no EES procedure at the Slovenian-Croatian border because this is an internal Schengen border. EES registration takes place when you first enter the Schengen area across an external border.
What happens during your first EES entry?
Your first EES registration can take a little longer and may include:
passport scanning
facial image capture
fingerprints where required
a short travel questionnaire
identity verification
Once your EES file has been created, later crossings generally involve verifying the information already stored rather than repeating the complete process.
Do I need a visa or ETIAS?
EES is not a visa and does not change existing visa rules.
British and US passport holders can still visit Croatia and the Schengen area for tourism without a short-stay visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
ETIAS is a separate future travel-authorisation system. As of October 2026, it is not yet operational and applications are not yet being accepted.
How should you prepare?
Allow some additional time for your first EES procedure, particularly during busy travel periods.
For most non-EU travellers, passports must have been issued within the previous 10 years and remain valid for at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen area.
If you hold a residence permit, long-stay visa or another special status, check the official rules before travelling because you may be exempt from EES.
Once you arrive, your holiday begins
For most guests, EES will simply be one additional step at the beginning of the journey.
After that, your Istrian holiday can begin: a private villa, the Adriatic coast, excellent food, wine and peaceful days exploring the peninsula.
Browse our villas in Istria and start planning your next stay.
