Travelling is freedom. Exploring new cities, tasting different foods, meeting people whose lives contrast sharply with your own—these are the things that fill me with energy. Over the years, I’ve been to 56 countries. I’ve watched borders shift, rules tighten, yet I’ve also discovered plenty of corners of the world where you can still wander without biometric checks or EES-style surveillance. As of 12 October 2025, though, one major change is coming to Europe that may affect your sense of borderless passage: the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES).
In this post I’ll explain what the EES is, how it will affect travellers (especially from the UK), and then share three destination ideas—Tbilisi, Büyükada, Mostar—where you can dodge the fingerprint/photo wave, relax, soak up culture, and maybe rediscover that older, gentler pace of travel.
What is the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES)?
The EES is a new smart border‐system that starts 12 October 2025. It’s being introduced across 29 European countries (Schengen + Schengen-associated states) and will eventually be fully operational by 10 April 2026.
Here’s what’s changing:
- Non-EU nationals—including UK citizens (since Brexit)—travelling for short stays in the Schengen / associated countries will no longer have passport stamps each time they enter or exit. Instead, their entry and exit will be digitally recorded.
- They will be asked to provide biometric data: fingerprints + facial image.
- The system is meant to make travel more secure, reduce overstaying, make border checks faster (over time) by enabling more automated/self-service systems.
Key dates & rollout plan:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 12 October 2025 | System begins operations at many external border points across the 29 countries. |
| Between Oct 2025 – Apr 2026 | Gradual rollout to all external border crossings (airports, land, sea) so not everywhere will have full EES immediately. |
| 10 April 2026 | Expected date by which full implementation should be in place. |
Who is affected:
- UK citizens and other non-EU nationals travelling for short stays (tourism, visiting family, business etc.) will have to provide biometrics, have entry / exit recorded.
- If you have dual citizenship with an EU country, or hold an EU long-stay visa/residence permit, there are exceptions.
Why the EES is being introduced:
- To reduce fraud, make sure people don’t overstay.
- To automate and speed up border crossing in the long run. Manual stamping of passports is less secure, slow, and places where fraud or overstays are harder to detect. Migration and Home Affairs+1
- To allow for more self-service, automated border gates, and to improve record-keeping of who enters and leaves the EU. Migration and Home Affairs+1
Potential drawbacks / concerns:
- At first, delays and longer queues are possible. Because border posts, airports etc will need to adapt to new systems.
- Not all border points will be ready immediately after 12 October. You may hit borders not yet fully equipped.
Why some travellers want to “avoid” the EES / biometric checks
Now, “avoid” might be too strong a word—because once EES is fully implemented, if you want to enter the Schengen/EES countries as a non-EU national, these checks will be mandatory (assuming your entry point is a border under EES). But there are legitimate reasons someone might prefer destinations where EES doesn’t apply yet (or where non-Schengen countries are not part of it), or places with fewer restrictions or hassles:
- For more spontaneous, low-stress travel (less worry about bureaucratic delays, biometric data, etc).
- To avoid the awkwardness or concern of providing fingerprints / photo, especially if you value privacy or have concerns about how data is stored/used.
- To stay in regions not tightly controlled or surveilled by large border systems.
With that in mind, here are three suggestions where you can travel freely, soak up deep cultural experiences, and for now at least, avoid the stricter biometric border regime of the EU / Schengen-EES.
Three Destinations Where You Can (For Now) Dodge EES
1. Tbilisi, Georgia
Why I love it
Tbilisi is one of those places where old and new collide beautifully. Cobblestone streets, dramatic hillsides, winding rivers, ancient churches—and at the same time modern cafes, design hotels, wine bars. It feels alive in a way many big Western European capitals no longer do.
Visa / entry info for UK travellers
British citizens can enter Georgia visa-free for up to one year. GOV.UK+1
Your passport must remain valid during your stay. GOV.UK+1
This means no visa, no biometric requirements upon entry like you’d get under EES in Europe (for non-EU citizens), no stamps unless you request them—but mostly, it’s low friction.
What to do
- Wander the Old Town: Kala, Mtatsminda, Vera, Chughureti. Charming neighbourhoods.
- Detour to Mtskheta (about 40 mins from Tbilisi): ancient, holy capital, UNESCO World Heritage with beautiful churches, riverside restaurants.
- Sample the wine, try the Georgian cuisine—khachapuri, lobio, khinkali.
- Spend five days if you can, but even a long weekend will give you a taste.
Best times to go
- Spring or autumn: when the weather is mildly warm, skies are clear.
- Avoid peak summer if possible (hot and somewhat crowded).
2. Büyükada, Istanbul, Turkey
Why this side trip is so special
Istanbul itself is grand: mosques, bazaars, layers of history. But Büyükada is its peaceful foil: an island just off the city, calm, car-free, green pine woods, seaside walks, and time seems to stretch. It gives you nature and atmosphere without having to travel far.
Visa / entry / border situation
Turkey is not part of the Schengen Area or EU/EES regime. So you won’t be subject to fingerprinting under EES when entering Turkey (though Turkey has its own visa / entry rules depending on nationality). For many travellers this means you can delay the EU border issues or skip them entirely if you stay in countries outside of Europe’s EES. (Note: if you later cross into an EES country, the rules there will apply.)
What to do
- Stay a night or two on the island, in one of the small guesthouses.
- Walk or rent a bike around, explore the pine forests and coastline.
- Swim, relax, enjoy local cafes and fresh seafood.
- Time your visit outside high season to avoid crowds, especially summer weekends.
3. Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Why it resonates with me
Mostar is raw, beautiful, resilient. It carries history visibly—architecture ruined in war, rebuilt, bridges restored, communities healing—but also stunning nature (emerald rivers, waterfalls), lively markets, Ottoman heritage. It’s one of those places that stays in your memory.
Border / biometric / entry situation
Bosnia & Herzegovina is not part of the Schengen Area yet. This means EES does not apply there for now, so you won’t be confronted with the same biometric requirements that you’d face entering a Schengen/EES country with a UK passport.
What to see & do
- Stroll the Old Town, visit the Old Bridge (Stari Most), walk the cobbled alleys, visit markets, try the local food.
- Visit the Museum of War and Genocide Victims to understand the conflict, what shaped the region. It’s sobering but necessary.
- For nature: day-trip to Kravice Waterfalls. The colours are stunning, especially after rain.
- Consider staying in the Old Town: romantic, atmospheric, full of character.
Other Destinations & Tips to Keep You EES-Free (When You Want To Be)
Here are some additional ideas for places you might consider to avoid biometric entry/exit checks, either because they’re outside Schengen or because their systems currently don’t demand intensive border processing:
- Countries in the Balkans not yet in Schengen (or whose accession is delayed) may have more relaxed entry practices.
- Non-European countries, especially in the Caucasus (like Georgia, Armenia, etc.), Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America: many have visa-free or visa-on-arrival or e-visa systems which are less intrusive.
- Islands or remote regions (outside major airports/ports) tend to have simpler border procedures.
The Full List: Which Countries Will Be Using EES
Here’s a quick reference: these are the 29 countries (EU / Schengen / associated) that will be rolling out the EES beginning October 2025. If your trip includes any of them, expect biometric checks if you’re non-EU.
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Practical Tips: What to Do if You Travel After 12 Oct 2025
If you do travel into the EES zone as a UK or other non-EU traveller, these tips will help smooth things out:
- Check which border points are live: especially smaller airports or land crossings. Some may not yet have EES kiosks.
- Arrive early: during the rollout phase queues may be long, delays inevitable.
- Carry supporting documents: proof of accommodation, proof of onward/return ticket, funds. Even if they might not always ask, it helps.
- Know your passport’s status: passports that allow dual citizenship, or if you have EU long-stay visa / permit, may give exceptions.
- Stay informed: rules change fast. Governments issue travel advisories, embassies have updates.
Final Thoughts
The EES represents a significant shift in how Europe handles borders and travellers. On paper, it promises improved security, more accurate tracking, more automation, less stamping. In reality, for many travellers—especially those who value spontaneity, minimal bureaucracy, privacy—it may feel like extra friction. But it doesn’t mean your travel dreams need to stop or be compromised.
Destinations like Tbilisi, Büyükada (Turkey), Mostar offer respite. They let you enjoy beautiful landscapes, rich history, warm hospitality, and yes, fewer biometric demands—for now. If you plan right, you can still chart journeys that feel freer, more human.
If you like, I can also pull together a map of European-border alternatives or a list of countries that will never be subject to EES, so you can choose freely. Want me to build that?
