The first 24 hours have passed since the new Entry/Exit System (EES) began operating in Latvia, as well as in other European countries. The system is intended for nationals of third countries traveling for short-term stays. During the first 24 hours, 2 007 third-country nationals were registered in the EES in Latvia, and by 8:30 a.m. on October 14, a total of 3 797 persons had been registered.
Benefits of the Entry/Exit System (EES) for citizens of European Union (EU) countries and nationals of third countries include the modernization and improvement of the EU’s external border management, ensuring smooth and swift border crossings, preventing illegal migration, as well as strengthening security at the EU’s external borders and throughout the EU as a whole.
Although the EES has been successfully implemented in Latvia, third-country nationals are advised to allow for extra time during border checks at the initial stage of the system's operation. In addition to travel document checks, third-country nationals arriving at a border crossing point for the first time since the start of the EES must also provide biometric data — a facial image and/or fingerprint data.
It has already been reported that the State Border Guard, in cooperation with the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior, is closely monitoring the implementation process of the system and is ready to respond if necessary. Border checks for third-country nationals entering Schengen Area Member States are carried out in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code. Even during the gradual implementation phase of the EES, stamps in travel documents are considered the most important proof of a fact of border crossing.
The new system is more modern and efficient than the previous procedure as it will gradually replace passport stamps with a digital system that records entries, exits, and entry refusals of persons, thus speeding up border checks and facilitating the work of border guards.
More detailed information about the EES is available on the website:
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/lv/ees/faq##
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees/faq##
For questions related to entry/exit in Latvia please contact the State Border Guard:
phone number 371 67075616; e-mail: od@rs.gov.lv.