Starting this weekend, on October 12, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) will start operating in Latvia, like in other European countries. The system is intended for third-country nationals traveling for short-term stays. We clarify how the EES differs from the Electronic Travel Declaration filled out in the State Threat Prevention Information System, which also applies to third-country nationals and has been required since September 1.
Please note that the EES is a system that persons encounter at border crossing points, while the Electronic Travel Declaration is an online form that must be completed no later than 48 hours before entering Latvia.
What is the EES?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated information technology system designed to register third-country nationals each time they cross the external borders of European countries for short-term stays. A third-country national, within the meaning of the EES, is a person who is not a national of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. A short-term stay means a stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, counting all days spent by a person in European countries using the EES.
What is the Electronic Travel Declaration?
The Electronic Travel Declaration is an online form that foreign citizens must complete before their planned entry and stay in Latvia, starting from September 1, 2025. It must be submitted by citizens of any country except those from the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member states, the European Economic Area countries, the Swiss Confederation, or the Federative Republic of Brazil, and who do not have a Latvian visa or residence permit. The declaration must be submitted at least 48 hours before entering Latvia.
What are the benefits of the EES?
The EES will significantly modernize the border control process and strengthen security in European countries using the system. The system will replace traditional passport stamps with a digital registration mechanism that automatically records entry and exit data. In the long term, this means faster and more efficient border checks, as checks will be automated and require less manual work. During the first border crossing, when biometric data of a third-country national are registered, the border control process may take longer than usual. However, after this initial data registration, subsequent border crossings will be quicker and more convenient.
At the same time, the new system will help prevent illegal migration by enabling precise registration of persons entering and exiting the Schengen Area. The use of biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) will reduce cases of false identities and help prevent overstaying permitted periods of stay.
The introduction of the EES will also enhance overall security in the Schengen Area—border guards and law enforcement agencies will have access to essential information regarding travellers, allowing them to identify security risks in a timely manner and more effectively combat serious crimes and terrorism.
What are the benefits of the Electronic Travel Declaration?
The obligation to submit the declaration is established in the first part of Section 4.4 of the Immigration Law of the Republic of Latvia. Its purpose is to collect information about foreigners entering Latvia whose travel rights in the Schengen Area have been granted by another country, and to strengthen national security.
The declaration system enables national security and law enforcement agencies to timely identify potential risks to state and public safety and to promptly address them. In cases where submitted information reveals security risks, the competent authorities have the right to apply necessary legal measures to prevent threats, including restricting he entry of the respective person into Latvia.
How is the provided data used?
Personal data submitted in both the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the Electronic Travel Declaration are processed and stored securely, in compliance with all European Union and Latvian data protection regulations. The data is used only in specific and justified cases—for the performance of national security, border control, and law enforcement functions. Access to the data is strictly limited and granted only to authorized officials.
Access to information provided in the Electronic Travel Declaration is allowed only for certain institutions and in accordance with their legally defined functions. For control and monitoring purposes, the State Police and the State Border Guard have access to the declaration data, while national security agencies may use this data to fulfil tasks prescribed by their governing laws.
Access to data stored in the EES is granted only to designated and authorized employees of state institutions. Personal data is not transferred to third parties—neither public nor private entities—except in specific cases defined by law.
All data processing is carried out by the European countries using the EES, and the security and legal compliance of the system is overseen by the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice (eu-LISA), which ensures that the EES is used in accordance with applicable European Union and national legislation.
Launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES)
As previously announced, starting on October 12, when the EES will start operating, third-country nationals arriving at border crossing points will be required, in addition to checks on travel document, to provide biometric data - facial images and/or fingerprints during border check. This information will be stored in a digital file. The State Border Guard advises third-country nationals to allow extra time for border checks. At the start of the system’s operation, the new process may also affect citizens of European countries traveling to or from third countries, who should also expect longer border checks due to possible longer queues (but not due to data collection).
Please note that the implementation of the EES will be gradual over the next six months both in Latvia and across the European Union as a whole. Full operation of the system will be ensured from April 10, 2026. Until then, when crossing the external borders of Latvia and other European countries, third-country nationals will still have entry and exit stamps printed in their passports, alongside the registration of traveller data in the EES. Additionally, the automatic calculation of the permitted length of stay will not be operational during this transition period. This approach will help to ensure a gradual transition and allow border control points to fully adapt to the new system. The full implementation of EES functionality in all European countries (after April 10, 2026) will allow the discontinuation of passport stamping and enable European Member States to electronically exchange information concerning travellers.
The State Border Guard, in cooperation with the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior, closely monitors the system implementation process and is prepared to respond if necessary. Please be aware that potential technical problems with the EES system could affect border crossing flows.
Border check on third-country nationals entering the Schengen Area is conducted in accordance with the Schengen Border Code. During the gradual implementation phase of the EES, stamps in travel documents are considered the most important proof of the fact of border crossing.
More information about the EES is available on the website travel-europe.europa.eu, including frequently asked questions sections:
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/lv/ees/faq##
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees/faq##
For more detailed information about the Electronic Travel Declaration, please visit the website:
https://eta.gov.lv
If you have any questions regarding entry/exit in Latvia, please call the State Border Guard: +371 67075616 or email: od@rs.gov.lv.