The European Union is launching a new Entry/Exit System (EES) that will impact most foreign travelers to 29 participating European countries. Ireland is not included in this system. Starting October 12, 2025, most U.S. citizens who leave from or travel through Ireland to these EU countries for short visits will have their biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial images, collected at the border when they arrive and depart.
The EES will be introduced in stages over a six-month period. More details about the EES can be found on the European Union’s official website at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees.
The U.S. Embassy in Dublin is advising American citizens traveling to or living in EU countries to register at step.state.gov in order to receive safety and security updates from the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate. For information specific to travel destinations in Europe, travelers are encouraged to visit the U.S. Department of State’s resource page for U.S. travelers in Europe at U.S. Travelers in Europe | Travel.State.gov.
Assistance is available through the U.S. Embassy in Dublin by phone at +353 1 66 88 777 or by email at acsdublin@state.gov. The embassy’s website is ie.usembassy.gov. Additional support can be obtained from the State Department’s Consular Affairs offices by calling 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444.
The embassy also recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get security updates and following their social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.