EES at Munich Airport — What Gulf & UK Travellers Need to Know

Since 10 April 2026, the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational at all Schengen borders — including Munich Airport. If you are a non-EU passport holder travelling to Germany for medical treatment, business or tourism, here is what you need to know.

What is the EES?

The EES is an automated digital system that replaces manual passport stamping. Every time a non-EU national enters or leaves the Schengen area, the system records their name, passport data, fingerprints and a facial photograph. The system automatically calculates how many days remain of the allowed 90-day stay within a 180-day period.

The goal is to strengthen border security and prevent overstays. However, during the initial months, it also means longer processing times at airports — particularly at major hubs like Munich.

Who is Affected?

The EES applies to all non-EU nationals on short stays, including:

• Gulf passport holders — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman (whether visa-required or visa-exempt)
• UK passport holders — since Brexit, British citizens are third-country nationals
• Other non-EU travellers — USA, Canada, Australia, and all other non-Schengen countries

Children of all ages are included. Those under 12 must have a facial scan but are exempt from fingerprinting.

What to Expect at Munich Airport

On your first entry after the EES launch, you will go through a full biometric registration: fingerprints (four fingers of each hand) and a facial photograph. This is done at a self-service kiosk or by a border officer. On subsequent visits within three years (and with the same passport), the process should be faster as your data is already stored.

During the initial rollout, expect additional waiting time at immigration — reports from other European airports suggest 30 to 90 minutes on busy days. Munich Airport (MUC) has two terminals: Terminal 1 handles most Gulf airlines (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways), while Terminal 2 handles Lufthansa and Star Alliance flights.

ETIAS — Coming Late 2026

Later in 2026, the EU will introduce ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). This will require visa-exempt travellers — including UK, UAE and Bahrain passport holders — to apply online and pay a €7 fee before departure. ETIAS is similar to the US ESTA system. It will be valid for three years and is linked to your passport.

Grand Europa will help you understand and prepare for ETIAS once the system launches.

How Grand Europa Helps

As your concierge in Munich, we make the arrival process as smooth as possible:

• Real-time flight tracking — your driver adjusts to any delays at immigration and waits without extra charge
• Arabic-speaking meet & greet — a personal welcome at the arrivals hall with a name sign in Arabic or Latin script
• Direct transfer — from the arrivals gate to your waiting Mercedes, with baggage assistance
• Medical visa support — for patients from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, we help obtain the clinic appointment letter and cost estimate required for the Schengen visa application