Travel to Europe is the official app run by Frontex for the EES. If you hold a biometric passport, it lets you enter your passport details, take your photo and fill in the entry questionnaire up to 72 hours before arriving in or leaving the Schengen Area, at border crossing points that use it. Fingerprints are still taken at the border. It is not the ETIAS app and it does not guarantee entry.
What you can do with it
- Pre-register passport and trip details before you arrive.
- Save time at control, if your entry point supports it.
Each country decides whether to use it and at which borders. The current list is on the official EES website.
What it doesn't do
- It's not for applying for ETIAS (which isn't running yet).
- It doesn't grant entry: the border officer decides.
- You don't need it to travel: you can register directly at the border.
Only download it from official app stores and check it's published by the European Commission or an official body.
Where can you use it?
Each country decides whether to use the app and at which border crossing points. Sweden was the first to confirm it, at selected crossing points including Stockholm Arlanda. The official EES website keeps the up-to-date list. Where it isn't supported, you simply register at the kiosk or the booth.
How to use it, step by step
- Download Travel to Europe from your phone's official app store (published by an EU body).
- Within 72 hours of your trip, scan your biometric passport's chip with your phone.
- Take a selfie following the on-screen instructions.
- Answer the entry questionnaire (purpose, accommodation, means, return).
- At a participating border crossing point, go to the indicated lane: the officer already has your data and you only give fingerprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is it mandatory?
No. It's an option to speed things up where available.
Does it cost anything?
The official app is free.
How far in advance can I pre-register?
Up to 72 hours before you arrive in or leave the Schengen Area.
Does the app take my fingerprints?
No. Fingerprints are always scanned at the border in front of an officer.
Can I use the app for my family?
Each traveller with a biometric passport is registered separately. Children under 12 don't give fingerprints at the border.
Keep reading
Sources
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.