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Use of e-gates at the UK border increases by 1 million

The Government has revealed that more than one million passengers from seven additional countries have used e-gates to enter the country. This follows the expansion of e-gates on 20 May 2019 to nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States.

The use of e-gates reduces the time a passenger spends on the border. E-gates use latest technology to recognise the facial features of a passenger and compare this with the digital image recorded on their passport. Any discrepancy or a flag on the database can result in the e-gates re-directing the passenger to an Immigration Officer.

The use of e-gates reduces the time a passenger spends on the border

The use of e-gates requires an e-passport which contains a biometric chip. It is expected that European nationals will continue to have access to e-gates after the UK leaves the EU.

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This information is for guidance purposes only and should not be regarded as a substitute for taking legal advice. Please refer to the full General Notices on our website.

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Monica Atwal

Managing Partner

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About this article

  • Subject
    Use of e-gates at the UK border increases by 1 million
  • Author
    Monica Atwal
  • Expertise
    Immigration
  • Published
    16 July 2019

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