EES on Eurostar — what happens at St Pancras
Eurostar passengers complete EES registration at London St Pancras International before boarding, at self-service kiosks installed ahead of the ticket gates. Here's where the kiosks are, how much extra time to allow, and how the process differs for first-time and returning travellers.
Count your 90/180 days →Where it happens
St Pancras runs EES kiosks in three areas of the station, all before the Eurostar ticket gates. Because the UK–France border here uses juxtaposed controls, French border police complete your Schengen entry on the UK side — by the time the train leaves, you are legally in Schengen. There is no EES step on arrival in Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam.
The process, step by step
- Arrive earlier than the usual check-in. Eurostar recommends extra time on your first post-EES trip, especially at peak departures — first-time enrolment is the slow step.
- Use a kiosk before the gates. Scan your passport, give four fingerprints and a facial image. Staff redirect you if a kiosk is unavailable.
- Pass French passport control as normal. The officer confirms your kiosk enrolment; returning travellers usually skip straight to a quick biometric verification.
- Board — done. No further border step at your destination.
🚆 Tips for this route
- Business Premier and Carte Blanche passengers have dedicated lanes, but EES kiosks are shared — the enrolment time is the same.
- Travelling as a family? Children under 12 skip fingerprints but still need a facial image; use the staffed lanes.
- Returning within 3 years of your first enrolment? Your biometrics are reused — budget minutes, not tens of minutes.
FAQ
Do I need to do EES before arriving at St Pancras?
No. There is nothing to complete in advance — no application or fee. EES enrolment happens at the kiosks inside St Pancras before the ticket gates. Arriving with extra time on your first trip is all the preparation needed.
Does EES apply on the return Eurostar journey from Paris or Brussels?
Yes — your Schengen exit is recorded on the continental side before boarding the return train. Exit checks reuse your stored biometrics and are much faster than first-entry enrolment.
What is EES?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU-wide digital border system that replaces passport stamping for non-EU nationals entering the Schengen Area for short stays. It records each traveler’s name, passport data, date and place of entry and exit, and biometric data (four fingerprints plus a facial image) at a self-service kiosk or staffed booth on first entry.
What about returning travelers?
Returning travelers who have already been enrolled typically spend 30 seconds to 1 minute at the border. Most Schengen airports now route returning EES travelers through dedicated facial-recognition gates, which are faster than the old manual stamping queues.
Will I still get a passport stamp?
Usually no. From 10 April 2026, passport stamping was discontinued as the default across the Schengen Area and entries are recorded digitally in EES. However, several countries — including Italy (until 30 September 2026), Belgium, Germany, France, Greece and Switzerland — have activated a formal "flex mode" that allows border police to revert to manual passport stamping whenever queues exceed set thresholds (e.g. 45 minutes in Italy, 25 minutes in Belgium). Stamps issued under flex mode are valid entry records.
The other Channel routes
🚗 EES at Eurotunnel Le Shuttle · ⛴️ EES at Port of Dover · All land & sea borders →