ePassport gates are automated self-service barriers (an automated border control system) operated by the UK Border Force and located at immigration checkpoints in arrival halls in some airports across the UK and at the juxtaposed controls in international railway terminals abroad, offering an alternative to using desks staffed by immigration officers. The gates use facial recognition technology to verify the traveller's identity against the data stored in the chip in their biometric passport, as well as run the data against numerous databases to determine if the traveller is a security risk.
British citizens, European Union, European Economic Area and Swiss citizens who are aged 10 or over and holding biometric passports are eligible to use the ePassport gates. ePassport gates are usually marked with this symbol . The ePassport gates do not, however, accept national identity cards. If the holder's nationality is shown as a British overseas territories citizen; a British overseas citizen; a British subject; a British national (overseas); or a British protected person then the holder will not be able to use the ePassport gates.[1] [2]
[3] citizens of the following countries holding valid biometric passports became eligible to use ePassport gates, provided that they are aged either 18 and over or 12 and over travelling with an adult:
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Upon successfully using the ePassport gates, citizens of the above countries entering as a visitor are granted 6 months' leave to enter (subject to conditions prohibiting employment and recourse to public funds)[4] and do not receive a passport stamp or any written notice/endorsement.[5] [6] However, citizens of the above countries who wish to enter the UK with a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker - Creative and Sporting) Certificate of Sponsorship (for up to 3 months)[7] or on a permitted paid engagement are not eligible to use the ePassport gates, as a passport stamp must be obtained in these situations.[1] [2]
In addition, citizens from the following countries/territories who are enrolled in the Registered Traveller Service can also use ePassport gates, provided that they hold valid biometric passports and are aged either 18 and over or 12 and over travelling with an adult:[8]
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Practical difficulties may be faced by non-British/EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who have used an ePassport gate to enter the UK as they do not receive a passport stamp evidencing leave to enter. For example, landlords are legally required to check the immigration status of tenants before the start of a tenancy agreement.[10] The Home Office advises that where a prospective tenant is a non-visa national who used an ePassport gate to enter the UK, the landlord should accept any documentary evidence (such as a ticket or boarding pass) that establishes the date of arrival in the UK within the past 6 months.[11]
To use the ePassport gates, the traveller must have a biometric passport from the United Kingdom and certain other countries (these ePassports have the biometric logo on the front cover). The ePassport gate scanner reads all the information contained in the chip inside the passport, while a camera takes a picture of the traveller which is then compared against their passport photo using a facial recognition algorithm.[12] Once the data verification and facial recognition process is complete, doors will automatically either open, signifying that the traveller is permitted to enter the country, or remain closed and a stop icon illuminate, demonstrating that the traveller has failed the security checks and will personally meet with immigration officials.
At present, ePassport gates are available at the following locations:[13]
At some airports, the UK Border Force temporarily suspends the operation of ePassport gates when certain flights that are deemed to be 'high risk' arrive. For example, at Glasgow Airport, the UK Border Force has on occasions disabled the operation of ePassport gates when flights arrive from Romania, as it regards those flights to be 'high risk' from a safeguarding perspective. By requiring all arriving passengers to use a staffed immigration counter, UK Border Force officers are better able to identify potential victims of trafficking and modern slavery.[14] [15]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ePassport gates were for a time suspended for all nationalities, including for all British nationals.[16]
