QUICK ANSWER
The European Union's official Travel to Europe mobile app can help some non-EU travelers subject to the Entry/Exit System pre-register passport, facial-image or entry-questionnaire information before reaching a participating border. The EU says a journey can be created no earlier than 72 hours before the start of travel. The app is optional and does not replace the border check.
CURRENT STATUS: SWEDEN AND PORTUGAL SUPPORT THE APP
The official EU page currently says the Travel to Europe app can be used when entering Sweden and Portugal, but the functions are different. Sweden supports passport data, a facial image and the entry questionnaire. Portugal currently supports the entry questionnaire.
Other European countries using EES may support the app later. Travelers should not assume that an airport, ferry port, land crossing or country participates simply because EES itself is in use there. Check the official EU app page for the country and border crossing before relying on pre-registration.
WHO CAN USE THE APP?
The EU describes the app as intended for non-EU nationals who are subject to EES registration and hold a biometric passport. A traveler still needs to meet the normal entry conditions that apply to the trip.
Using the app is optional. Not using it does not by itself mean a traveler cannot cross a participating EES border; it means the traveler completes the applicable process at the border rather than using the optional pre-registration functions available through the app.
THE 72-HOUR WINDOW
The EU says travelers can create a new journey in the app no earlier than 72 hours before the start of the journey. This is a rolling pre-registration window, not a visa or travel-authorisation deadline.
Do not confuse the 72-hour app window with ETIAS. EES is the border entry/exit system. ETIAS is a separate travel-authorisation system with its own launch status and requirements.
WHAT THE APP ASKS YOU TO DO
The official workflow starts with selecting the EES country you are arriving in or leaving from, the border crossing point and the expected arrival time. Depending on the country-supported functions, the app can then ask the traveler to scan the passport identity page and chip, take a selfie to confirm identity and answer questions about travel plans.
The app can also allow co-travelers to be added. After the journey is submitted, the traveler receives confirmation and still proceeds to the border crossing and follows the border guard's instructions.
THE APP DOES NOT REPLACE BORDER CONTROL
The EU is explicit that Travel to Europe does not replace border checks. Pre-registering can make the process smoother or faster where the country supports it, but the border authority still performs the applicable control and makes the entry decision.
Do not treat a successful app submission as a guarantee of admission, permission to overstay, or evidence that a separate visa or travel authorisation requirement has been satisfied.
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR DATA?
The EU says that before a journey is submitted, only the traveler has access to the personal data in the draft. After submission, the border authorities of the selected country can access the submitted data for the journey. Unsubmitted draft versions are automatically deleted after seven days.
Use the official app-store links reached from the EU's europa.eu page rather than an advertisement or imitation download page. Passport and facial-image data are sensitive, so verify that the app and destination are official before entering them.
HOW THIS FITS WITH EES IN 2026
The Entry/Exit System became fully operational at the external border crossing points of participating European countries on April 10, 2026. The Travel to Europe app is an optional convenience layer for supported countries and functions; it is not the EES itself.
That distinction matters for trip planning. A country can participate in EES while not yet offering the same Travel to Europe app functions as Sweden or Portugal.
VOICE-SEARCH ANSWERS
Can I pre-register for EES before I fly to Europe? At a participating country and border, the Travel to Europe app can support pre-registration within 72 hours before the start of the journey. Check the current official country support first.
Does the EES app replace passport control? No. The EU says the app does not replace border checks.
Which countries use the Travel to Europe app right now? The official EU page currently lists Sweden and Portugal, with different supported functions in each.
Can I use the app a week before my trip? The official instructions say to create the journey no earlier than 72 hours before the start of travel.
Is the Travel to Europe app the same as ETIAS? No. The app is connected to EES border pre-registration. ETIAS is a separate travel-authorisation system.
STATUS AND FRESHNESS
Status verified September 22, 2026. Country participation and supported app functions can change. Recheck the official European Union Travel to Europe mobile-app page shortly before departure rather than relying on an older screenshot, blog post or app-store description.