New airport rules set to take effect within weeks promise to reduce waiting times for millions of passengers, as the Home Office announces that children aged eight and nine will be permitted to use E-gates at UK airports from later this summer. Currently, travellers under the age of ten are prohibited from using these automated gates, forcing many families to queue at passport control booths.
Expansion of E-Gate Access
From July 8, access to E-gates will be extended to include younger children. These machines employ facial recognition technology to verify passengers' identities against their passport photos, typically faster than manual checks. By lowering the minimum age, officials anticipate that up to 1.5 million additional children will benefit from the expedited process.
This initiative is part of the government's broader UK border transformation programme, which earlier saw the enforcement of the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme in February, providing digital permission for entry into the UK.
Requirements and Implementation
Children must be at least 120 centimetres tall to be visible to biometric scanners and must be accompanied by an adult. The policy change will affect not only the 13 UK airports equipped with E-gates but also ports in Brussels and Paris, where juxtaposed border checks are conducted. Nearly 300 E-gates are operational across the UK.
Migration Minister Mike Tapp expressed that more families will “experience a swifter and smoother journey home” this summer. Border Force Director-General Phil Douglas noted that increasing E-gate access enables “highly skilled officers to focus on intercepting those who pose a threat to the UK.”
Eligibility and Industry Reaction
UK E-gates are available to British citizens and nationals from the European Union, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States. They are also accessible to members of the registered traveller service.
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, welcomed the development, stating: “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.”
