What to do if EES gets your days wrong

The EU Entry/Exit System, known as EES, is the official digital record of short stays in the countries that use it, and it calculates your remaining days under the 90/180-day rule. That official count can be wrong. If an exit is missing, or the system records a date incorrectly, it can treat you as an overstayer even when you have kept to the limit.

As you can see from this image, the data EES holds on me (this is all real data) is completely wrong! I mean, I don't mind if they think I have 90 days left. but unfortunately, like having an incorrect bank deposit into your bank account... I am sure everything will 'catch up' eventually and then there could be trouble!

Why incorrect EES counts are in the news

On 10 November 2026, The Guardian reported that UK travellers, including the writer Jojo Moyes, had been treated as overstayers after errors in EES entry and exit records. Later coverage appeared in Euronews and The Independent on 11 November, and in The Local and Frommer's on 12 November. Official records can miss an exit or show the wrong dates, and that can change the 90-day count that border officers see. The 90/180 rule has not changed. Our EES guide explains how the system works.

Signs that an EES record may be wrong

The Dutch border police describe three problems that can arise from technical or operational limits: duplicate files for the same person, a missing entry or exit, and registered data that does not match your actual travel. Those errors can produce a wrong remaining-days figure or problems at automated border gates. The official "Check how long you can stay" tool also does not reflect any time spent in the Schengen area that began before 10 April 2026, whether that visit ended before that date or continued after it. Older travel can still count towards the 90/180 limit if a border officer checks it, so a gap with your own trip list can have that explanation.

Checking the official EES record

Start with the official "Check how long you can stay" tool on the Travel Europe website, or on equipment at some external borders. You will need the country you are visiting or plan to visit, your travel document details, and in some cases your intended arrival or departure date. The tool shows whether entry is allowed, as "OK" or "not OK", and how many days you are still allowed to stay. You can also ask a passport control officer. If the result looks wrong, the official EES frequently asked questions say you should contact the competent authorities of the member state where you last entered or left the Schengen area. If you have not visited since 10 April 2026, contact the authorities of the member state you plan to visit.

Evidence that helps a correction request

The Dutch border police ask you to state which member state you last entered or left through, or which one you intend to visit, and to enclose documents that show your actual travel. They list a copy of your passport, boarding passes, flight tickets or other travel details, and other documents that prove your departure or arrival. Keep those items as you travel.

Contacting the relevant data controller

You have a right to ask for access to your EES data, and to ask for inaccurate or incomplete data to be corrected. To do that, you contact a data controller, preferably in a country you travelled to. The Commission publishes contact details for each country's data controller.

How long a correction can take

The Dutch border police say that not all EES functions are fully available at present, so it may not be possible to process corrections or erasures immediately. Because of the volume of requests, they may use the full statutory decision period of 45 days before they reply. You should not assume that a request will be completed before your next trip.

Advice for the next border crossing

While you wait, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice, including the entry requirements for France and Spain, says that if you believe you have been entered into EES incorrectly, or that your record of time in the Schengen area is wrong, you should approach border officials when you next cross and request a correction. Be prepared to provide supporting evidence if they ask for it. If you are exempt from EES, carry the documents that confirm your status. Take the same proof you would attach to a written request: your passport, plus boarding passes, ferry or train tickets, or other evidence of when you entered and left.

How Track90 can help

Track90 is a record-keeping aid. It cannot change the official EES record. Only the relevant authority can do that. It can help you keep a clear record of your visits, compare it with the official figure, and gather evidence before you ask for a correction. Our FAQ covers this.

EES Checkpoint Sync, a Pro feature, lets you enter the official figure from the EU tool, with the date you checked it. Track90 then adds any further Schengen days from your own records since that checkpoint, so you can see the official figure alongside what you have logged.

In that same section, the Rectify EES data button opens a prepopulated email containing all your travel details. You choose the country whose data controller should receive it, then send the email. That saves a lot of work compared with writing the request yourself. Attach your own evidence, such as a passport copy and proof of exit, before you send it.

Trip Photo Evidence, a Pro feature, lets you attach a departure photo and a return photo to any visit, for example a boarding pass or a stamp. Pro users can also export a travel history PDF of entry and exit dates and day counts, and print that file if they need a paper copy.

A note for drivers and fleet operators

Professional drivers are subject to the same 90/180-day rule, and the same official EES record, unless a specific exemption applies. If you manage a fleet, Track90 FLEET is the version built for operators. Its guide to how EES records a driver's days sets out the official position in more detail.

Sources

Facts in this post were checked on 13 November 2026 against the official pages below.

News reports linked in the article, for context only: