Passengers arriving in the UK will soon pass through airport e-gates securely without showing their passport, as a contactless system is introduced across the country.
The e-gates at UK airports will gradually switch to the new facial recognition technology, with every e-gate set to be upgraded by early 2027.
As passengers approach an e-gate, their photo will be taken and checked against verified immigration, travel and passport information.
The e-gate opens automatically for legitimate travellers once these checks are complete, so passengers can walk through, without needing to place their passport on the reader.
If further checks are needed, passengers will need to place their passport on the reader or may be directed to a Border Force officer.
Border Force officers will continue to monitor all e-gates offering assistance and passengers should keep their passport with them at all times.
Testing shows the new contactless system is up to 25% faster than using a passport on an e-gate.
The phased introduction starts at East Midlands Airport, initially for British citizens, before expanding to more airports and other nationalities already eligible for e-gates over the coming months.
Phil Douglas, Border Force director general, said: “By using state-of-the-art technology, we are making journeys smoother and faster, all while fully maintaining the UK’s robust border security.
“Our digital transformation also builds on our work this summer to extend e-gates to children aged eight and above, making life a little easier for families.”
Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, added: “This will be excellent news for the passenger and demonstrates how UK airports continue to be at the forefront of new technologies to keep our borders safe, while improving the travelling experience.
“It is vital that we have the fast, efficient borders that arrivals into the UK now expect, and we will work closely with our members and government officials to ensure a smooth rollout.”
Steve Griffiths, managing director of East Midlands Airport, commented: “We’re delighted to be the first UK airport to have contactless e-gates introduced by Border Force.
“We welcome any technological innovation that can help to safely make our customers’ journeys smoother, swifter and simpler.”
The e-gates are available at the following UK airports: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted. Other UK e-gates will operate as they do today.
Software is being updated as part of the phased introduction rather than replacing e-gates.
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