Facial recognition technology could soon replace passports at UK airport e-gates. It means that passengers will be admitted to the UK simply by looking into a camera. Border Force director Phil Douglas said he was “really impressed” by e-gate schemes in Australia and Dubai.
“I had to apply for an electronic travel authorisation in advance and used my smartphone to read the chip in my passport. That sent the image of me in the chip to the Australian authorities. When I arrived in Australia, I didn’t even have to get my passport out of my bag. It is a really interesting concept,” he told the Times.
In February 2023, Douglas suggested the paper passport was becoming redundant. He told an audience at the Airport Operators Association conference in London at the time: “I’d like to see a world of completely frictionless borders where you don’t really need a passport. The technology already exists to support that.”
He added: “In the future, you won’t need a passport – you’ll just need biometrics.”
There are currently over 270 e-gates in place across 15 railway stations and airports in the UK, which will require upgrading to the new technology. These can be used by passengers over the age of 10 who are British citizens or nationals of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the US.
When will facial recognition begin?
These new rules are set to launch on October 6, 2024, having been postponed from the initial date of May 2023.
How is the new plan different from current e-gates?
The current e-gates require a passport, whereas the new plan should offer "frictionless" travel.
Who is eligible for e-gates in the UK?
You can normally use e-gates if you:
have a biometric symbol on the cover of your passport;
are aged 10+ (10 to 17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult);
are either:
a British citizen;
a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA; or
a member of the Registered Traveller Service.
Can I currently fly out of the UK without a passport?
You currently need a valid passport if you are travelling abroad and for many domestic flights within the UK.
