Schengen EES errors are raising concerns among international travellers after reports that some visitors are being incorrectly recorded as having overstayed their permitted time in Europe. The problem appears to involve missing exit records, which can make it look as though a traveller has remained in the Schengen Area long after leaving.
The warning comes from UK consumer rights publication Which?, which says it has received reports from travellers whose departures were not properly registered by the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES). The issue could create serious problems for non-EU visitors, particularly those who need to return to Europe for holidays, work or family visits.
The EES has already attracted criticism over border delays, with several European countries previously easing checks to manage queues at busy airports and other entry points. However, the latest concerns relate to what happens after travellers leave the Schengen Area, raising questions about the accuracy of the digital records used to monitor visitors’ permitted stays.
The European Union began introducing the Entry/Exit System in October 2025, with the system becoming fully operational on 10 April 2026 across 29 participating European countries. It replaces traditional passport stamping with digital records of when non-EU nationals enter and leave the participating countries. Cyprus and Ireland are excluded, while Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are among the non-EU countries participating in the system.
The system is designed to help authorities identify visitors who exceed the Schengen short-stay limit of 90 days within any 180-day period. Under this rule, eligible non-EU travellers can spend a maximum of 90 days in the Schengen Area during a rolling 180-day period, unless they hold a residence permit or long-stay visa that provides different rights.
However, the system depends on accurate entry and exit records. If a traveller’s departure is not registered, the EES may continue counting the person’s stay even after they have left Europe. This can create an incorrect record suggesting that the visitor has exceeded the permitted number of days.
The 90/180 Schengen Rule Explained: How Long You Can Stay in Europe Without Overstaying.
For affected travellers, the consequences may not become apparent until their next journey to Europe. According to Which?, visitors are not necessarily contacted directly when the system records a possible overstay, meaning some may only discover the problem when they reach a border checkpoint.
British author Jojo Moyes experienced this situation in October. The writer, best known for her novel “Me Before You”, had travelled to Portugal in May. When she later arrived in Marseille, France, officials informed her that her departure from the Schengen Area had not been recorded.
She was reportedly warned that she could face a fine of up to EUR 10,000 and a two-year entry ban if she returned before the record was corrected. Her experience has drawn attention to the potential difficulties travellers may face when digital border records do not accurately reflect their movements.
Which? says dozens of its readers have contacted the publication with similar complaints. The reports have increased concerns about how travellers can challenge incorrect information and correct their records before making another trip.
Euronews Travel has contacted the European Commission for comment.
Travellers concerned about a possible EES overstay record should check their travel history before their next journey. The European Union provides an online tool that allows visitors to review their short-stay calculation and check the number of days they have spent in the Schengen Area during the previous 180 days.
If the information appears incorrect, or the system displays an incomplete data notice, travellers should contact the data controller responsible for the country where they believe the error occurred. The European Union publishes contact details for the relevant national authorities through its official EES website.
A correction request should include a copy of the traveller’s passport and evidence showing when they left the Schengen Area. Depending on the journey, this could include an airline boarding pass, flight confirmation, or a bus or train ticket showing the departure from the participating countries.
Travellers should keep copies of their travel documents and any correspondence with the relevant authorities. They should also allow time for an error to be investigated and corrected before attempting another journey, particularly if they have already been told that their records show a possible overstay.
The reports highlight an important issue with the transition from passport stamps to digital border monitoring. Although the EES is intended to make it easier for European authorities to track short stays, inaccurate or missing records can create problems for people who have followed the rules. For non-EU travellers, keeping evidence of when they leave Europe may therefore be just as important as checking their entry records.
