Passport Stamps Are Becoming A Thing Of The Past, And These Countries Are Discontinuing Them Very Soon

One of the reasons to hold onto your old, expired passport used to be nostalgia. You could flip through the pages, see all the colorful stamps. and conjure up many memories from your travels. You still need a passport to travel internationally, but passport stamps are slowly being replaced by digital systems across the world. The European Union (EU) has announced it will implement a new Entry/Exit System, or EES, using digital technology to streamline passport control. Travelers' information will be collected and stored electronically, removing the need for a physical stamp to confirm entry and exit dates.

The EES is slated to start on October 12, 2025, and it will be in place at all border entry points by April 10, 2026.  This new system will apply to the 29 countries in Europe's Schengen border-free area. That includes most countries of the EU countries — though not Ireland or Cyprus — with the addition of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Here is the full list of countries phasing out the stamps:

• 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

The new Entry/Exit System will require to check in at self-service machines and provide biometric data, like facial scans and fingerprints. Once that information is recorded, travelers will still speak with a passport control agent, but the process is expected to make the in-person interaction faster.

For those who have traveled within Europe's Schengen border-free area, there are already no routine passport checks when moving between member countries. The new system will apply only when entering the area from outside.

This shift from physical passport to digital records — particularly for quick tourist visits — has also been adopted by the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Airports often already have long security line wait times, and for international trips, travelers also face passport control lines. Any step to make getting through the airport faster is a good thing, of course, though some may be disappointed to see passport stamps on the way out.