Brits arriving in the UK will no longer need to show their passports at eGates and instead use their face under a new contactless system, the government has announced. East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire became the first airport to introduce the technology on Tuesday, ahead of a nationwide rollout across all UK airport eGates by early 2027, the Home Office said.
How the contactless system works
The contactless system uses facial technology to take a passenger's photograph upon approach, checking it against verified travel, immigration, and passport information. The gate then opens automatically once the checks are complete, meaning travellers do not need to place their passport on the e-gate reader.
Travellers will still need their passport handy, in case further checks are needed and they have to place their passport on the reader or be directed to a border officer. The government says it will speed up the process and wait times for Brits by 25%.
Trial and rollout details
The system underwent a successful three-week trial at Manchester Airport in 2025. Passengers who used the facial recognition eGates were said to have a "quicker and better" experience. Border staff will continue monitoring eGates to assist, while the Home Office reminded passengers to keep their passports with them at all times.
Phil Douglas, director general of Border Force, said: "This is a win for travellers coming to our brilliant country. By using state-of-the-art technology, we are making journeys smoother and faster, all while fully maintaining the UK’s robust border security."
He added: "Our digital transformation also builds on our work this summer to extend eGates to children aged eight and above, making life a little easier for families."
Airports and future expansion
The new systems will be rolled out to all UK airports that use eGates early next year. These include Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted.
Initially, the scheme will only apply to Brits but could later be extended to all passport holders who are eligible to use eGates. EU citizens, Americans, Canadians and Australians are among those who could be eligible.
Karen Dee, chief executive of Airports UK, the trade body for the country’s airports, said the move was "excellent news for the passenger". She added: "It is vital that we have the fast, efficient borders that arrivals into the UK now expect, and we will work closely with our members and Government officials to ensure a smooth rollout."
Steve Griffiths, East Midlands Airport’s managing director, said: "We’re delighted to be the first UK airport to have contactless eGates introduced by Border Force. As an airport committed to providing an effortless travel experience, we welcome any technological innovation that can help to safely make our customers’ journeys smoother, swifter and simpler."
He added: "This complements changes that we carried out to our immigration hall recently to help improve the flow of arriving passengers through the area."
