When Europe tightens its digital gates this October, the Principality will glide through untouched. While the rest of the continent prepares for fingerprint scanners and facial recognition checkpoints, Monaco’s residents can keep calm and carry on.
Starting 12 October 2025, the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) begins its phased rollout. It’s being billed as a new era of border management: goodbye, passport stamps; hello, biometric beeps. Every traveller from outside the Schengen zone will be logged, scanned, and timed by algorithms designed to make border control both secure and seamless.
The Exemption Island in a Sea of Data
The Monegasque government has confirmed that its citizens and residents are officially exempt from EES registration. No digital fingerprints. No facial scans. No change to the simple rhythm of travel that residents enjoy today.
The decision aligns with EU rules, which recognise Monaco’s special border relationship with France and the Schengen Area. In practice, that means anyone holding a valid Monaco residence permit or Monegasque passport will continue crossing European borders as effortlessly as before, while others queue up for the new digital control.
What Changes, What Doesn’t
The EES aims to replace passport stamps with a digital record of who enters and leaves Schengen territory. It’s meant to combat overstays, enhance security, and modernise one of the world’s most-travelled regions.
But in Monaco’s case, the message from the government is crystal clear: “No new procedures. No new checks. No biometric registration.”
For residents of the Principality, life and travel goes on as usual. Border officials across the Schengen Area have been informed of Monaco’s exemption to ensure there’s no confusion at checkpoints.
Patience Required: A Transition Period Ahead
Still, even Monaco may feel the ripple effects. The government has cautioned that delays are possible during the early implementation stages, especially for non-EU or non-Schengen nationals adjusting to the new system. Think longer lines, slower first entries, and plenty of first-time travellers trying to figure out where to place their thumb.
Yet, beyond the initial turbulence, the EU insists the EES will eventually smooth the flow of people and bolster border security turning Europe’s frontiers into smart gates rather than bottlenecks.
