People travelling to the UK are being urged to prepare for new rules that could soon see passengers not need to show their passports at the UK border. The new rule, which is due to launch on October 6, 2024, will mean that travellers may no longer be required to show their passports at most major UK airports which have the right technology installed. Instead, facial recognition systems at eGates will be used to identify travellers and allow them to pass through border checks more efficiently.
The new rule will also mean that travellers will not be required to show their documents to Border Force staff. At a number of major UK airports eGates are already being used, however they all still require travellers to present their passports. This system could be switched for a passport-less one, as the Mirror experienced at St Pancras last year.
To benefit from the new scheme, travellers must request an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before they arrive and use a mobile phone to read the chip in their passport. After taking these steps, an image is taken from a travellers passport and sent to the relevant border authority digitally. That means when they arrive at an eGate, the passenger can simply keep their passport in their bag and pass through the eGate.
Brits intending on heading to Europe will need to submit fingerprints and facial biometrics in order to use the new system. The Entry/Exit Scheme (EES) has been delayed a number of times, with France specifically requesting .
