THE STAMP IS GONE

A traveler holds up her passport at the new EES checkpoint, biometric scanner glowing beside her, ready to step officially into the European Union.

Picture the arrivals hall in Rome, early morning, light pouring through the glass. A traveler steps up to a kiosk instead of a booth. No stamp, no ink pad, no rush of relief when a page fills up. Just a camera, a quick scan, and a small blinking light.