Guide: NZ and UK Passports Update

Read about the Schengen Area EES if you plan to leave Spain after 12 October 2025. If you hold an NIE Green Certificate, you must apply for a TIE as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may be treated as a tourist when entering the EU and required to register in the new Entry/Exit System (EES). Read about the EES here: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees

What is the Schengen Area EES?

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new automated border management system for the Schengen Area.

• Start date: 12 October 2025
• Roll-out period: Phased over six months
• In Spain: Implementation will begin at airports, with full completion expected by April 2026
• Until the system is fully operational, passport stamping will continue.

What to expect at airports and borders

Visitors: Fingerprints and a photo will be taken on entry. This may add a few minutes to your border crossing, especially during busy times.

TIE Holders (UK nationals in Spain): You do not need to register with the Schengen Area EES.

NIE Green Certificate Holders: You must apply for a TIE as soon as possible. Without one, you may be treated as a tourist and required to register in the Schengen Area EES.

Schengen Area EES Useful Resources

UK Government guidance on living in Spain: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain

Full details on the EES: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees

Spain’s Schengen Area EES implementation plan: https://www.interior.gob.es/opencms/es/detalle/articulo/La-Union-Europea-activa-su-nuevo-sistema-de-control-de-fronteras-el-12-de-octubre/

New Zealanders in Spain: What You Need to Know About Europe’s New Border Systems

Living in Spain as a Kiwi is already an adventure, tapas nights, sunny terraces, and endless “mañanas.” But if you’ve been keeping an ear to the ground, you might have heard about some big changes coming to how Europe manages its borders.

Two new systems are on their way: the Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS. They sound a bit bureaucratic (and let’s be honest, they are), but don’t worry here’s the lowdown, Kiwi-style.

Goodbye Passport Stamps, Hello Schengen Area EES

Remember getting your passport stamped every time you flew into the Schengen Area? That’s about to be history.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is Europe’s new way of tracking when travelers from outside the EU come and go. Instead of stamps, it’ll log your details digitally:

• Passport info
• A quick face scan + fingerprints
• The exact date you entered or left

Why? To keep track of the 90-days-in-180 rule that applies to visitors like us.

But What If You Live in Spain Already?

Here’s where it matters for Kiwis in Spain:

• If you’ve got Spanish residency (like a student card, work permit, or long-term residency): relax, you’re not counted under the 90-day tourist rule. Still, when you travel around Europe, border guards might check your residency card alongside your passport — especially once the new system is up and running.
• If you don’t have residency and just do short stays in Spain (or back-and-forth trips): the Schengen Area EES will track your time very carefully. No more wiggle room on “accidentally” overstaying.

Enter ETIAS (Europe’s New Travel Permission)

Hot on EES’s heels comes ETIAS — basically, Europe’s version of the U.S. ESTA.

• It’s not a visa, just an online form you’ll need to fill in before you travel.
• You’ll answer a few questions, pay a small fee, and get approved for 3 years (or until your passport expires).
• Airlines will check you have it before letting you board flights to Europe.

The good news? If you’re a New Zealander with Spanish residency, you won’t need ETIAS to come home to Spain. But if you’re traveling around and can’t prove residency, you might be asked for it at the border.

What This Means Day-to-Day

For most of us Kiwis already living in Spain, it’s business as usual — just make sure you always travel from Spain with your residency card and passport together.

But if you’re visiting Spain without residency, or bouncing between New Zealand and Europe, here’s the checklist:

• Track your travel days (the EES will do it for you).
• Don’t overstay the 90/180-day limit.
• Once ETIAS launches, apply online before your trip.

The initial EES rollout will take six months and is expected to include only a few countries initially, before all 29 EU members (excluding Cyprus). After 12 October 2025, if you rely on the bilateral or 90 day rule for your time in Spain, you will only be allowed to stay in the Schengen as a whole for 90 days. AND any extended period must be applied for in Spain. You will not be allowed to leave Spain during this additional 90 days and once your time is up, you will be required to leave the Schengen zone from Spain for 90 days.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mark Fyers https://www.facebook.com/mark.fyers.3/

Final Thoughts about Schengen Area EES

Yes, it’s another layer of EU admin (and we all know Spain has enough paperwork already!). But these changes are meant to make borders faster, safer, and less messy in the long run.

So, as a Kiwi in Spain, the best advice is simple: keep your residency card handy, stay aware of the 90/180 rule if it applies to you, and be ready for ETIAS when you’re traveling around Europe.

Contact Kiwis in Spain

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to message Kent or stay connected via our Facebook and Instagram pages.

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