What is the EES, and how does it change border checks in Norway?
How the Entry/Exit System works and who it applies to.
Short answer
The Entry/Exit System (EES) registers travellers from outside the EU/EEA on short stays and has replaced passport stamps at the Norwegian border since 10 April 2026. On your first entry, it records your passport details, fingerprints and a facial image. On later trips the data is used to check your identity, and overstays are detected automatically.
Why
- Norway began using EES gradually on 12 October 2025, and the system became fully operational on 10 April 2026.
- The system records your name, travel document data, fingerprints and facial image, the time and place of each entry and exit, and any refusal of entry.
- Norwegian citizens and people with a residence permit in Norway are not registered, and EES does not apply to EU or EEA citizens.
Details
EES covers visitors who need a visa as well as those who do not, as long as the stay is short, up to 90 days. Children under 12 do not give fingerprints. EES is separate from ETIAS, the planned online travel authorisation, which is not in operation yet.
Tip
Count your Schengen days before you travel: EES records every entry and exit, so an overstay is detected automatically.
What may differ
Holders of long-stay visas, family members of EU citizens with a residence card and nationals of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino are also outside EES. Travel between Norway and other Schengen countries is not registered, because EES is used at the external Schengen border.
Common misconception
With EES, Norwegians and other EU/EEA citizens must also give fingerprints at the border.
What actually happens
EES does not apply to EU or EEA citizens, and Norwegian citizens and people with a residence permit in Norway are not registered.
People also ask
- How does EES work at Oslo Airport?
- What is the Entry/Exit System?
Sources
- European Commission: Entry/Exit System (EES)Checked at:
- Norwegian Government: Norway introduces a new European border control systemChecked at:
- Avinor: Entry/Exit System (EES)Checked at:
- Visit Norway: New requirements to travel to EuropeChecked at:
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 on the Entry/Exit SystemChecked at:
This answer is for reference only. Rules can change, so check Avinor or the European Commission's EES page before you travel.
Travelling and moving to NorwayRelated questions
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Does Norway have a working holiday visa?
Norway gives working holiday permits only to young citizens of six countries: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Andorra and Canada.
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Do I need to stop at customs when driving into Norway from Sweden?
When you drive into Norway from Sweden, you only need to stop at customs if you have goods over the quota or value limit to declare.
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What happens if I bring more than the duty-free quota into Norway?
If you declare the goods over the quota and pay the duty, you keep them, but undeclared goods found by customs lead to a fine and are confiscated.
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How do I declare goods at Norwegian customs?
You declare goods either in Tolletaten's Kvoteappen before you reach the border or in the red channel at a staffed customs office, where you pay the duty.