Romania has launched the EES system at the border with Ukraine: what does this mean for travellers?

Romania is gradually connecting border crossings with Ukraine to the new European Entry-Exit System (EES). Travellers will now face additional procedures, such as passport scanning, photo and biometric data collection, but subsequent trips will be faster thanks to automatic identification. Find out how the EES system is changing the rules for Ukrainians crossing the border

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Romania has become the next EU country to implement the EES automated entry and exit control system, an innovation that is gradually being rolled out across all external borders of the Schengen area. This is particularly important for Ukrainians, as Romania is one of the key transit routes to Europe for travel, work and study.

Since 10 December, the system has been in operation at several checkpoints between Ukraine and Romania. This means that border formalities will now be carried out differently: faster, more technologically advanced and more formalised.

Where EES is already in operation on the Romanian border

The first checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Romanian border were connected to the system in December:

‘Dyakivtsi — Rakovtsi’

‘Krasnoilsk — Vicov de Sus’

‘Dyakovo — Halmeu’

The system is also already operational at the ‘Solotvyno — Sighetu Marmatiei’ checkpoint, which was connected on 12 October.

The next connection is expected on 9 January 2026 — the system will start operating at one of the busiest checkpoints, ‘Porubne — Siret’. The rest of the Romanian checkpoints are planned to be transferred to the EES by 10 March 2026.

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What will change when crossing the border

The EES will completely modernise the control process. Previously, border crossing data was entered manually by border guards, but now almost everything is done by an automated system. It records:

▪️ passport details

▪️ photograph of the person

▪️ biometric data

▪️ time of entry or exit

For children under 12 years of age, biometrics in the form of fingerprints are not taken, but photography remains mandatory.

When crossing the border with Romania for the first time, the traveller undergoes full registration: the document is scanned, the person is photographed, and fingerprints are taken. This data is linked to your profile in the system.

On subsequent entries, the EES automatically recognises the person and verifies the data without repeating the biometric process. This speeds up control and reduces queues.

How the EES affects the 90/180 rule

One of the key advantages of the EES is the accurate automatic calculation of the number of days spent in the EU. Errors that previously occurred due to human factors will be eliminated: the system itself tracks how many days you have already used under the visa-free regime and will warn you if you exceed the limit.

This is especially important for Ukrainians, given the flow of travel and transit through Romania to other Schengen countries.

How the new system works in practice: what Ukrainians need to know before traveling to the EU

1. The first crossing will take a little longer. Fingerprinting is a one-time procedure, so the first trip may be slightly longer, but subsequent crossings will be faster.

2. Follow the 90/180 rule. The system automatically counts the days of your stay — it will not be possible to extend this period.

3. Prepare your documents in advance. Check the validity of your passport, the availability of medical insurance, and the documents of your child and accompanying persons.

4. If you are traveling by car, don't forget your Green Card. This is mandatory international insurance for traveling by car to the EU. The easiest way is to apply for a Green Card online at Visit Ukraine — the policy is sent immediately to your email, is valid in all EU countries, and helps you avoid fines at the border. The application takes a few minutes and does not require any additional documents.

Reminder! The new European EES control system is now operational at Ukraine's borders with Poland and Hungary. Find out how fingerprint and photo recording works, whether there will be queues, and what Ukrainians need to consider before travelling.

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