Paris Airports · EES Border System
How long is the wait
at customs right now?
The EU's Entry/Exit System has been fully mandatory since April 10, 2026 — and Paris airports are feeling it. This page tracks crowd-sourced wait times at CDG and Orly, updated as reports come in. If you're flying soon, check back before you go. Updated Mondays and Thursdays during off-peak travel periods; Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays during peak season.
Current Status
Peak hours: 06:00–09:00 and 16:00–19:00 CET · First-time EES registration takes significantly longer than repeat crossings · Budget 3–4 hrs before departure for exit processing · Groupe ADP advises 4 hrs before departure during Pentecost and summer peaks
Report Your Wait Time
Just flew through Paris? Tell me what you experienced — arrival or departure, time of day, how long you waited. I read every submission and update the tracker above as reports come in.
Traveler Reports
What is EES?
Biometrics replace stamps
Physical passport stamps are gone. Every non-EU traveler now has fingerprints and a facial photo captured digitally at the border — on arrival and departure.
Who it affects
Americans, Brits, Australians, Canadians — anyone from outside the EU/Schengen zone traveling for short stays. French residents with long-stay visas or carte de séjour are exempt.
First time is slowest
Your first EES registration takes the longest. Biometric data is stored for three years, so subsequent crossings are theoretically faster — once the system stabilizes.
Pre-register if you can
The EU's official "Travel to Europe" app (iOS/Android) lets you pre-enter passport details and a facial image up to 72 hours before arrival, potentially reducing booth time.
Practical Tips
- 01 — Arrive 3–4 hours before departure if flying out of CDG or Orly this spring or summer. Groupe ADP is recommending 4 hours during peak periods. Airlines are not holding flights for EES queues.
- 02 — Download the "Travel to Europe" app and pre-register before you fly in. Even partial pre-registration can speed up the booth process.
- 03 — Biometric passport holders can use self-service kiosks for repeat crossings. First-time registrants — regardless of passport type — must queue for a manned booth for fingerprinting and photo capture.
- 04 — Avoid the 6–9am wave at CDG if you can — transatlantic overnight flights all land in the same window, maxing out kiosk capacity simultaneously. This is when the worst reports come in.
- 05 — Global Entry does not help here. EES is a separate EU system. Pre-clearance programs from other countries have no bearing on EES processing times.
- 06 — Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting but still need a digital photo taken. Factor this into your family's processing time estimate.
- 07 — EES and ETIAS are different things. EES is the biometric border check happening now. ETIAS — the pre-travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors — is expected to launch in late 2026 or 2027. You don't need to do anything for ETIAS yet.