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Since October 12, Cubans traveling to Europe face a new mandatory requirement: the Entry and Exit System (SES).
This digital tool is already active in several airports and radically changes the way to enter and exit the Schengen area.
The traditional stamp in the passport has been replaced by a biometric record that includes fingerprints, a facial image, and other personal data.
Although the change applies to all citizens of non-European Union countries, Cubans will be particularly affected by this new requirement because the automated system complicates one of the most common ways to immigrate: entering as a tourist and staying beyond the permitted time.
What is the SES and how does it change the border experience?
The SES replaces the old manual procedure—based on passport stamps—with a biometric and digital control system.
From now on, travelers who do not hold European nationality or citizenship from associated countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, or Liechtenstein) will be required to register electronically each time they cross an external border of the Schengen area, whether by air, sea, or land.
During their first entry after the implementation of the system, travelers must provide a facial image, four fingerprints, and passport information, which will be stored in a database.
According to the European authorities, this system will allow for "accurate identification of travelers" and will significantly reduce waiting times at border controls thanks to self-service kiosks, although the initial process may take longer.
Those who have already submitted their biometric data previously—such as during a visa application at a European embassy—will be able to skip repeating the process at the point of entry, as the information will be integrated into the system.
A system that calculates your stay to the second
One of the most significant changes introduced by the SES is its ability to monitor in real-time the legal stay duration of each traveler.
The Schengen regulations allow short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period, counted cumulatively across all countries that apply the SES.
This calculation, previously unclear and prone to manipulation, will now be managed automatically by the system, which will notify any excess time.
"The stamp in the passport was a solution from the last century. This system will provide us with real-time data and reduce gray areas", a spokesperson for the European Commission has stated.
And it is precisely the reduction of those "gray areas" - such as the border routes used for irregular entry into the continent - that is one of the main objectives of the new mechanism.
For Cuban migrants who have traditionally entered with a tourist visa and then overstayed their legal limit, this automation represents a significant obstacle.
If a traveler exceeds the authorized period, the SES will take note of it.
As a result, you could face fines, restrictions on future entries, or even an automatic denial of access when attempting to re-enter Europe.
Progressive application and implementation schedule
Although the SES is already in operation, its implementation will be gradual.
In the initial six-month phase, at least one border crossing in each country must be equipped with the system, while still coexisting with the old sealing method at ports and land crossings.
The busiest airports, such as those in Spain - the main European destination for Cubans - are among the first to activate it.
The European Union expects the system to be fully operational at all entry points before April 10, 2026, after which the use of the stamp in the passport will be permanently eliminated and the SES will apply to all eligible travelers with biometric passports.
Differences with other European systems like ETIAS
It is important not to confuse the SES with the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), another mechanism that will be implemented later and will require travelers to obtain a prior paid electronic authorization, similar to the ESTA system in the United States.
ETIAS is expected to come into effect at the end of 2026 and will apply to citizens of visa-exempt countries, such as the United States or Canada, but it does not directly affect Cubans, who already require a visa to travel to Europe.
Implications for Cubans: More control, less room for irregular migration
For many Cubans, the Schengen visa has been a way to settle in Europe for years.
Once inside the common area, and faced with the inability to regularize their situation from the island, some chose to stay longer than allowed and seek asylum or find informal ways to establish residency.
With the arrival of SES, this strategy becomes riskier.
The new system not only records when a person enters but also when they leave. If the system detects that a traveler has exceeded the allowed time, it can leave a permanent record of that violation. This could complicate access to Europe in the future, even if the person decides to return with a valid visa.
Furthermore, the system does not allow for exceptions due to humanitarian reasons or family reunification during this phase of implementation.
Cubans with dual Spanish nationality or with residence permits in Europe will continue to be able to process invitation letters for family members, but those visitors will be subject to biometric controls and time limitations just like any other traveler from a third country.
The SES is part of a broader European Union plan to create "smart borders," where migration flows are controlled and security threats can be detected more efficiently.
According to the EU Council, among the expected benefits are improved internal security, the fight against identity theft, and better cooperation between European information systems.
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