The Home Office has announced a major upgrade to airport border control that means passengers will soon pass through UK airports without scanning their passports. New contactless eGates using facial recognition are being rolled out, promising border crossings up to 25 percent faster.
What is changing
The upgraded eGates will identify travellers by facial recognition as they walk through, removing the need to stop and scan a passport. The system is designed to speed up arrivals and cut queues at some of the busiest pinch points in UK airports.
The rollout starts at East Midlands Airport, with British citizens first in line to use the new gates. Birmingham is also in the first wave, and the Home Office plans to have the contactless system in place at all UK airports by early 2027.
What it means for your next trip
For most travellers, the experience should feel familiar but quicker. You will still need to carry your passport, and the existing eGates will continue to operate alongside the new ones during the transition. The change applies at the UK border, so it affects you when you arrive back in the country or pass through immigration on departure where applicable.
Families should note that eGates have traditionally been limited to passengers aged 12 and over travelling on eligible passports, so younger children will still use the staffed desks.
Why now
Airports have been under pressure to cut border queues as passenger numbers recover and grow. Biometric processing is already common at airports around the world, and the UK has been testing next-generation border technology for several years. A contactless system also reduces physical contact with shared machines, a small but welcome improvement for hygiene-conscious travellers.
Tips for a smooth arrival
- Keep your passport accessible even though you may not need to scan it
- Remove hats, sunglasses and anything covering your face before you reach the gates
- If the new gates are busy, the standard eGates and staffed desks remain available
- Allow the usual buffer time for immigration on your first few trips while the system beds in, as with any new technology there can be teething problems
The end of the passport scan will not arrive everywhere overnight, but by early 2027 the familiar pause at the eGate could be a thing of the past.
