From Wednesday, July 8, children aged eight and nine returning to the UK will be eligible to use eGates at 15 UK airports, the Home Office has announced. The policy change means up to 1.5 million additional children will be able to use the automated gates, which use facial recognition technology to check passengers' identities against their passport photos.
Expanded access and requirements
Under previous rules, passengers under 10 were banned from using eGates, forcing many families to queue for manual passport booths. The new policy lowers the minimum age to eight, provided children are at least 120cm tall so they can be seen by biometric scanners and are accompanied by an adult. The change applies to all 13 UK airports with eGates, plus ports in Brussels and Paris where juxtaposed checks take place.
Official statements on the change
Migration Minister Mike Tapp said more families would “experience a swifter and smoother journey home” this summer. He stated: “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.”
Border Force Director General Phil Douglas commented: “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.”
List of UK airports with eGates
The full list of UK airports with eGates includes: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, London Luton, London City, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle, Cardiff, East Midlands, Southampton, and Southend. The UK has nearly 300 eGates in total.
Eligible nationalities and impact on tourism
UK eGates are available to British citizens 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 them, queue times for all passengers should reduce.
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, added: “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.”
