The decision means more than 1.5 million extra will be eligible to use them from July 8
Access to e-gates at UK airports will be expanded to include younger children, the Home Office has announced. From July 8, children aged eight and nine returning to the UK will be eligible to use e-gates.
The gates use facial recognition technology to check passengers’ identities against the photo in their passport, which is generally quicker than manual inspections. Children must be at least 120cm tall so they can be seen by biometric scanners, and accompanied by an adult.
Under current rules, passengers aged under 10 are banned from using the gates, forcing many families to queue for passport booths. The policy to cut the minimum age means up to 1.5 million additional children will be able to use them, the Government said.
In addition to the 13 UK airports with e-gates, children aged eight and nine will also be permitted to use them at ports in Brussels and Paris, where juxtaposed checks take place.
Migration minister Mike Tapp said more families would “experience a swifter and smoother journey home” this summer. He said: “Travel with young children can be stressful for parents.
“By expanding eGate access, more families can experience a swifter and smoother journey home – freeing up precious time this summer holiday season.
“We are delivering continued improvement to the passenger experience, while keeping our borders safe and secure.” The UK has nearly 300 e-gates.
Full list of UK airports with eGates:
- London Heathrow
- London Gatwick
- London Stansted
- London Luton
- London City
- Manchester
- Birmingham
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Bristol
- Newcastle
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Southampton
- Southend
Border Force Director General, Phil Douglas said: “eGates are an essential part of keeping our border secure. Expanding access for families will deliver safe, smooth journeys whilst freeing up highly-skilled officers to focus on intercepting those who pose a threat to the UK.”
UK e-gates are available to Britons as well as nationals from the European Union, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the US.
They can also be used by members of the registered traveller service. The Border Force said using an eGate typically takes just minutes. And with more people using eGates, this should also reduce queue times for those going through passport control.
Patricia Yates, chief executive of Visit Britain said: “We want to provide a world-class experience for the millions of visitors who travel here every year.
“Expanding eGate access boosts our competitive tourism offer and our message of welcome, inspiring even more visitors and families to book a trip to Britain this summer and beyond.
Karen Dee, Chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, said: “This is a welcome development as it will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many.
“Airports work very hard with border authorities to ensure the UK’s front door is both secure and welcoming, with those coming home and visiting enjoying a smooth experience.”
