From Wednesday, 8 July, children aged eight and over can use eGates at 13 major UK airports, including Newcastle International Airport. The minimum age limit has been lowered from 10 to 8, allowing families with younger children to avoid the often longer queues at staffed border control desks.
The change is expected to enable approximately 1.5 million additional children to pass through the automated barriers each year. However, children must also be at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall to ensure the biometric technology can scan them properly.
Full List of Airports
The new rule applies at 13 principal UK airports: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester, and Newcastle.
Impact on Families and Travel
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, said: "Today's change will make journeys easier for families with small children and reduce the hassle of travelling home after a holiday. It will also free up more time for tourists to enjoy our fantastic country this summer and in the years ahead."
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, described it as a "welcome development". She stated: "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."
Broader Benefits for International Travelers
The automated gates are part of the Government's Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme. Citizens from Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and the US will also benefit from this change.
Tom Vaughan, Travel Insurance Expert at Confused.com, commented: "The minimum age for UK airport e-gates drops from ten to eight today, meaning up to 1.5 million more children could clear the border automatically instead of queuing at a staffed desk. This is great news for families travelling with young children. Anyone who's queued at border control with tired kids will know it could mean shorter waits and a smoother end to the journey home."
Vaughan added: "It's also a sign of where things are heading. As facial recognition technology becomes more established, it wouldn't be surprising to see the age threshold lowered further in the coming years. But whether or not your child can use an e-gate, the basics still apply: everyone in the family needs a valid, biometric passport to travel. It's easy to overlook this among the excitement of planning a trip."
He also noted that confusion around passport validity remains common, with less than half (43%) of holidaymakers aware that passports for EU travel must be issued within 10 years of departure. "That's a significant number of people who could turn up at the airport only to discover their passport isn't valid, regardless of which gate they're heading for. With summer getaways in full swing, it's worth taking a few minutes to check every family member's passport now."
