The EU's free Travel to Europe app lets some non-EU travellers pre-register their passport and photo for the new Entry/Exit System (EES) biometric border before they fly. The catch for a Mykonos trip: as of June 2026 the app is NOT yet available for arrivals into Greece — only Sweden and Portugal are live. Below is exactly what it does, who can use it now, and whether it is worth installing for your 2026 trip.
Can you use the Travel to Europe app for a Mykonos trip?
Not yet. The app only works for arrivals in countries that have switched it on, and as of June 2026 that is just two:
- Sweden — full pre-registration: passport data, facial image and the entry questionnaire.
- Portugal — the entry questionnaire only.
Greece is not live — Greek authorities have only expressed interest, and France, Italy and the Netherlands are still running pilots. So if you fly directly into Mykonos, or connect through Athens, the app currently does nothing for your border crossing. It is only useful if your first Schengen entry point happens to be Portugal or Sweden (for example, a stopover in Lisbon or Stockholm before your onward flight). And note: because Greece exempts UK passport holders from EES biometrics (since April 2026), British travellers heading to Greece generally have no need for the app at all.
What the Travel to Europe app actually does
The app is the official EU tool (built for the EES, with the backend operated by the EU border agency Frontex). It is free and available on the Apple App Store and Google Play (support is in English). Using it, you:
- Scan your biometric passport chip by holding the passport to your phone (NFC).
- Take a live selfie for identity verification.
- Fill in a short entry questionnaire (travel dates, accommodation, country of arrival).
Two limits matter. First, the app does not replace border control — a border officer still checks your documents in person and makes the final decision on entry. Second, the app cannot take your fingerprints; on your first EES entry those are still captured at the border by a guard. On privacy: the data you submit is held for about 7 days and then automatically deleted, and the app generates a QR code that some border posts may ask to see. It does not store your biometrics permanently on your phone.
How to pre-register before you travel (72-hour window)
This is only worth doing if your arrival country is live (currently Portugal or Sweden). You can build a journey up to 7 days ahead, but you can submit at the earliest 72 hours before travel:
- Download Travel to Europe from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open it and choose pre-registration for your trip.
- Scan your passport chip with NFC (hold the passport to the back of your phone).
- Take a selfie — follow the on-screen guidance (good light, face the camera, no hat or sunglasses).
- Check that all details were read correctly and complete the entry questionnaire.
- Submit — you receive a confirmation and a QR code.
At the border: with vs without pre-registration
| With pre-registration | Without (do it all at the border) | |
|---|---|---|
| Passport / photo | Already submitted via the app | Passport scanned and photo taken at the kiosk/desk |
| Fingerprints (first entry) | Taken at the border by a guard | Taken at the border by a guard |
| Officer check | Still required in person | Still required in person |
| Time | Generally faster — data is pre-loaded | Slower — all data entered on the spot |
The EU says the app smoothens the process, but there is no official figure for minutes saved — claims of a fixed "30 minutes" are not substantiated, so treat any specific number with caution. The genuine benefit is that your passport data and photo are already in the system, so the kiosk step is quicker.
Children, exemptions and the key rules
- Children under 12 are exempt from giving fingerprints under EES — but a facial image is still taken, and passport/biographic data is recorded for all ages. (This is the correct rule; it is not "under 6".)
- Pre-registration is valid for the 72-hour window before your trip; submit inside that window.
- The app never replaces the face-to-face border check or guarantees entry.
- UK passport holders are currently exempt from EES biometrics at Greek borders, so the app is generally unnecessary for UK arrivals into Greece — see our Mykonos EES & passport control guide.
When will the app work for Greece?
There is no confirmed date. Greek authorities have signalled interest in the Travel to Europe app, but Greece has not announced a go-live, and the EU is switching countries on one at a time — Sweden and Portugal first, with France, Italy and the Netherlands piloting. The rollout is expected to widen gradually through 2026–2027 as the EES beds in across the 29 Schengen countries. Until Greece actually appears on the official live list, be sceptical of any third-party site claiming you can already "pre-register for Greece," and verify on the official EU travel portal close to your departure date. For now, the practical plan for a Mykonos arrival is simply to allow a little extra time at passport control in peak season.
The bottom line for Mykonos travellers
For a 2026 Mykonos trip, the Travel to Europe app is mostly one to watch rather than use: it is not yet active for arrivals into Greece, and most visitors clear EES either at Athens or another Schengen hub or, if flying direct, at Mykonos Airport's small terminal. Install it only if your first European entry is in Portugal or Sweden, keep an eye out for Greece joining the rollout, and remember UK travellers to Greece are already exempt from the biometric step.