Border Force is set to upgrade passport e-gates across UK airports with new facial recognition technology, a move that could reduce border control wait times for British passengers by 25 per cent. Instead of scanning travel documents at the e-gate, travellers will have their face captured and checked. Passports will still be required for other parts of the journey.
Contactless border system expands after Manchester trial
The 'contactless border' system was trialled successfully at Manchester Airport in 2025. The three-week trial saw passengers using the facial recognition e-gates report a 'quicker and better' experience.
According to The Times, the new technology will be introduced first at Birmingham Airport and East Midlands Airport, with launches expected in the coming weeks. The remaining UK airports with e-gates—including Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton, Newcastle, Cardiff, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London City, and Manchester—will receive the system by early 2027.
Border Force highlights security and speed benefits
Phil Douglas, director general of Border Force, told the publication: 'We are doing this for reasons of border safety. It will mean we have a more secure border and a much faster transit through the airport. It's quicker, it's more modern, it's more secure.'
Douglas added that the system would allow officers to shift focus from routine immigration to crime, safeguarding, and drugs. 'Officers are going to be much more mobile,' he said.
The UK will be the first in Europe to introduce contactless borders at its airports. Initially, the technology will work only for British passport holders, with plans to extend it to other nationalities in the future. In Dubai, facial recognition technology is already available to up to 50 nationalities.
How the new e-gates will work
When the technology is rolled out, each airline will provide UK Border Control with a gallery of passport photos of Brits returning to the UK that day. Upon arrival at border control, a passenger's face is scanned at the e-gate, and the image is compared to the gallery. Once a match is found, the gate opens.
If the face is not recognised, the passenger must scan their passport using the traditional e-gate method, placing it face down on the scanner. If issues persist, the passenger must seek help from a Border Force staff member.
Mixed reactions from the public
Social media responses have been mixed. One Facebook user called the system a 'game-changer', especially for frequent flyers, while another described it as 'fascinating'. Si Leathly, who tried the technology in Manchester, said it was 'extremely quick'.
However, Connor Lomax branded it a 'waste of money', writing: 'What a waste of money. Nobody wants it, and I've never had to wait more than five mins to get back into the UK with a UK passport.'
