EES fingerprint exemption: what if you can't be scanned?

If you cannot give fingerprints at a Schengen border crossing because of a physical condition, the EES rules exempt you from that step. EU Regulation 2017/2226, the legislation that created the Entry/Exit System, says people for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible are exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints. The fingerprint field in your EES record is marked “not applicable”, your facial image is taken as normal, and the registration goes ahead. Knowing this in advance saves a lot of stress at the desk.

What the regulation actually says

For visa-exempt travellers, the EES Regulation requires fingerprints and a facial image. The official EES FAQ confirms the system stores four fingerprints and a facial image for them (travellers who need a short-stay visa only have a facial image stored, because their fingerprints are already held from the visa application). Article 17(4) sets out the exception: where fingerprinting is physically impossible, the person is exempt, and Article 17(5) says the fingerprint data field is marked “not applicable”. The same article tells member states to have procedures that guarantee the person’s dignity when fingerprints prove difficult to capture. The facial image is still taken.

This is not the same as a categorical exemption from EES. Travellers who cannot be fingerprinted are still registered in the system, still have an entry and exit recorded, and still count against the Schengen 90-day allowance. For a permanent condition, the only thing that changes is that the fingerprint field in their record reads “not applicable” instead of holding biometric data.

Which conditions qualify?

The regulation does not list medical conditions. Its test is physical impossibility, not inconvenience or discomfort, and the decision is made at the border. It does allow for a missing or injured hand: fingerprints are taken from the right hand where present, and otherwise from the corresponding fingers of the left.

Temporary conditions, such as a bandaged hand after a recent injury, are handled differently. The regulation says the temporary impossibility is recorded in the EES and you will be required to give your fingerprints on exit or at your next entry. That note is deleted once the fingerprints have been taken.

The regulation does not ask for a medical certificate, but it does let border authorities request further clarification of the grounds for a temporary impossibility. Carrying a letter from your GP or specialist is a sensible precaution, especially if the condition is not immediately apparent. Tell the officer before the scan rather than after several failed attempts: it avoids confusion and moves things along faster.

What happens at the border desk

Ask for a staffed desk rather than a self-service kiosk. The exemption is recorded by the border authority, and the EES FAQ explains that travellers who use a kiosk still go on to a passport control officer afterwards, so starting at the desk saves a step.

The facial image step still takes place. On later crossings the regulation lets border officers verify your identity by comparing your live face with the image stored in your EES file, so even without fingerprints the system has biometric data to work from.

Return crossings with a fingerprint note on file

For a permanent condition, later Schengen crossings follow the same pattern as for any returning traveller. The officer checks your passport, finds your EES record, verifies your facial image and sees the fingerprint field already marked “not applicable”, so there should be no need to repeat the attempts at every crossing.

A temporary condition works the other way round. If your hand has healed by the time you leave or next arrive, expect to be asked for your fingerprints then, because the regulation requires them on exit or at the subsequent entry.

Kiosks, accessibility and reduced mobility

The fingerprint question is one part of a broader accessibility picture at EES borders. Travellers using wheelchairs, those with conditions affecting standing for long periods, and those with hidden disabilities can ask for assistance. Airports participating in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme allow staff to recognise the lanyard as a signal that extra time or support may be needed.

The regulation says EES data must be collected with full respect for the traveller’s human dignity, and it rules out discrimination on grounds including disability and age. Queue times at major airports have been long this summer, which is a practical challenge for anyone who finds extended standing difficult, even if the procedure itself is manageable. Arriving outside peak hours and contacting the airport ahead of travel to arrange assistance can both help.

How this differs from a full EES exemption

Being unable to provide fingerprints is not the same as being outside the EES system entirely. Some travellers are exempt from registration altogether: nationals of the countries using EES and of Cyprus and Ireland (so all EU, EEA and Swiss nationals), non-EU family members of EU citizens who hold a residence card under the EU free movement directive, holders of residence permits and long-stay visas, and certain other categories covered in the EES exemptions guide. Travellers in those categories do not go through EES at all. Travellers with fingerprint conditions do, and their entries and exits are recorded and count.

What about ETIAS?

ETIAS is a separate pre-travel authorisation applied for online before departure, not at the border. It is not yet live: the official ETIAS site says it is currently not in operation and that the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. The previous Q4 2026 target is no longer given, and press reports expected a revised timeline after the eu-LISA board met in September, with 2027 the likely start. The board met on 23 and 24 September and its published summary gave no ETIAS launch date. ETIAS will not involve fingerprint collection. The application asks for personal, travel document and trip details, not biometrics, so travellers with physical conditions that affect EES fingerprinting will apply through the same online route as everyone else. No action is required yet. Applications are not open. See the ETIAS status page for the current official position.