Before discussing United Kingdom passport eGates and who can use them, let’s first look at what they are. Operated by the UK Border Force, ePassport gates are automated self-service barriers located at entry points at UK airports and some railway terminals.
These eGates are a faster alternative to entering the UK than waiting in line to see a Border Force immigration officer. eGates use facial recognition software to verify a person’s identity by scanning your face and matching it with the data stored on a biometric chip in your passport. The information is then run through several databases to assess whether you are a security risk.
Who can use ePassport gates?
If you have a biometric passport, British citizens and people from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland can use the United Kingdom eGates to gain entry into the country. UK ePassport gates do not accept national identity cards or the passports of people from a British Overseas Territory.
Following successful trials at Gatwick, Stansted, and Heathrow Airports, children aged ten or older can now use passport eGates. Previously the minimum age was 12, but with an increase of people traveling abroad this summer on holiday, the UK government has lowered the age for eGate use.
People from certain non-EU countries can use eGates
In May 2019, the United Kingdom started letting people from the following countries use eGates for entry into the UK for six months, providing they have a biometric passport:
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United States
While most people have no issues entering the UK through an ePassport gate, there are times when you will be required to present your passport to a Border Force officer. Some of the reasons for this are:
- To verify that you are the person the travel documents belong to.
- Check to see if you can enter the United Kingdom without a visa.
- To establish your nationality and identity.
You will also have to see a Border Force officer if there is an error with the eGate. This can be because you have not inserted your passport correctly into the reader, your passport’s microchip is damaged, you did not remove your glasses or hat, or you failed to look into the camera as instructed. Also, occasionally, a person’s appearance changes and no longer matches the data stored in the microchip.
