Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What are eGates and automated border control?
eGates (also called automated border control gates or ePassport gates) are self-service gates at a port or airport that read a biometric passport, compare the traveller's face with the photo held in the document, and then either clear the traveller or refer them to a border officer. [3] A gate is only one step inside a formal entry decision: the border authority still checks that the traveller is allowed to come in, and a refusal is issued as a written decision that can carry information about appeal. [1] [3]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An eGate reads a biometric passport and uses facial recognition to check identity against the photo in the passport; if it cannot clear the traveller, a border officer handles the case. [3]
- In the United Kingdom, access depends on the traveller's nationality group, a biometric symbol on the passport cover, being 8 years old or over and being at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall; travellers aged 8 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult. [3]
- For passports from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the passport must also come from an eligible country and the traveller must hold a valid digital immigration status or a record of a digital exemption. [3]
- Some travellers must not use the eGates at all: a person entering with a Temporary Work – Creative Worker certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months, who wants to enter without a visa, must see a Border Force officer for a stamp. [3]
How does an eGate check a traveller?
An automated gate works from the document rather than from a booking record. The traveller presents a passport, the gate reads it, and facial recognition technology is used to check the traveller's identity against the photo in that passport. [3] In the United Kingdom the document must carry a biometric symbol on the cover, which is why the gate is also called an ePassport gate. [3] The gates sit alongside staffed channels: a British citizen can use the UK/EEA channel to have a passport or Gibraltar identity card checked, and in both cases the staffed channel is described as usually faster than the other channels. [3]
The general border control rules apply at the gate as well. Travellers must have their identity document ready and out of any holder or wallet, remove face coverings or sunglasses, and move through passport control together if they are a family. [3] Fingerprints may also be checked at border control, against the ones held on an eVisa. [3] Which documents are needed for a given trip, including any visa or electronic travel authorisation, depends on nationality and is summarised in the guide to travel authorisation systems compared. [1]
Who can use the UK eGates?
Border Force sets eGate access by traveller group, and each group has its own list of conditions. [3]
| Traveller group | Conditions that must all apply |
|---|---|
| British citizens | Passport with a biometric symbol on the cover; 8 years old or over; 120cm (3ft 11in) or taller; anyone aged 8 to 17 accompanied by an adult. [3] |
| Travellers from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein | Passport with a biometric symbol on the cover; 8 years old or over; a valid digital immigration status or a record of a digital exemption; 120cm or taller; anyone aged 8 to 17 accompanied by an adult. [3] |
| Travellers from outside those countries | Passport with a biometric symbol on the cover; 8 years old or over; a valid digital immigration status or a record of a digital exemption; a passport from an eligible country; 120cm or taller; anyone aged 8 to 17 accompanied by an adult. [3] |
The eligible countries for the third group are Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States. [3] Members of the Registered Traveller Service may also be able to use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic eGates, framed as a possibility rather than a guarantee. [3]
What happens when a gate cannot clear you?
A traveller who does not meet the conditions for the gate uses a staffed channel, where a Border Force officer checks the identity document and any visa, and will usually ask why the traveller is coming to the United Kingdom. [3] The clearest example of a deliberate hand-off to an officer is the Creative Worker case: a traveller entering with a Temporary Work – Creative Worker certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months, who wants to enter without a visa, must see a Border Force officer and get a stamp in the passport. [3] A stamp cannot be obtained at the eGates, and without it the traveller is not allowed to carry out the activities they came to the UK to do. [3]
A refusal of entry is a documented decision in its own right. The traveller is told in writing why entry was refused, whether the decision can be appealed, and when they will be removed from the United Kingdom; they will usually have to leave immediately. [3] They may instead be allowed in temporarily, usually for up to a week, but the passport is taken and they must report to immigration officers at set times. [3] The underlying question of what permission a traveller holds is set out in entry permission types. [1]
Is a gate or kiosk clearance the final entry decision?
No, and the United States shows how a separate automated-clearing scheme still keeps discretion at the border. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers on arrival in the United States, with an application fee of $120 and membership lasting five years; every applicant undergoes a background check. [5] It is a membership scheme rather than a walk-up gate, and it is available at major U.S. airports, at land borders, and it includes TSA PreCheck access. [5] CBP states that members may still be selected for further examination when entering the United States, and that any violation of the programme's terms and conditions leads to the appropriate enforcement action and termination of membership privileges. [5]
In the United Kingdom the same principle applies at a different stage: the identity document, such as a passport or national identity card, is checked on arrival at a UK port or airport to make sure the traveller is allowed to come into the country, and it should be valid for the whole of the stay. [1] A visa or electronic travel authorisation may also be needed to come into or travel through the UK, depending on nationality. [1] Clearing a gate therefore settles the document and identity step, not the whole question of admission.
Exceptions and limits
- Age and height. The UK conditions are 8 years old or over and 120cm (3ft 11in) or taller, so younger or shorter travellers cannot use the gates, and 8 to 17 year olds need an adult with them. [3]
- Registered Traveller Service. The guidance says members may also be able to use the eGates, so membership does not read as an automatic right at every arrival. [3]
- Arrivals from the common travel area. Travellers coming from Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man only need to show documents if they are stopped by a Border Force officer. [3]
- Digital status for EU and neighbouring travellers. EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein travellers may be delayed at the border if their passport or national identity card is not linked to their UK Visas and Immigration account, and where a carrier asks for proof of permission to travel and the account cannot be linked, a share code is needed at the border. [3]
- Arrivals by coach. Passengers must leave the bus at border control with their travel documents ready. [3] Travellers who stay airside between flights should also check the airside transit guide.
- Not a guarantee of smooth entry. Global Entry members may still be selected for further examination. [5]
Frequently asked questions
Can children use the UK eGates?
Yes, from the age of 8, provided the passport carries a biometric symbol and the child is at least 120cm tall; between 8 and 17 they must be accompanied by an adult. [3]
Do you get a passport stamp when you use an eGate?
No. The guidance states that a stamp cannot be obtained if the eGates are used, which is why Creative Worker arrivals who need a stamp must see an officer. [3]
Can a United States passport holder use the UK eGates?
The United States is on the list of eligible countries for travellers from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, so the gate can be used if the passport has a biometric symbol, the traveller is 8 or over and at least 120cm tall, and holds a valid digital immigration status or a record of a digital exemption. [3]
What happens if you are refused entry to the UK?
You are told in writing why entry was refused, whether you can appeal, and when you will be removed; you will usually have to leave immediately, or you may be allowed in temporarily, usually for up to a week, with your passport taken and reporting times set. [3]
Does Global Entry mean you will never be stopped?
No. CBP says members may still be selected for further examination when entering the United States. [5]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. The page covers the United Kingdom's eGates and the United States Global Entry programme; other national automated border systems and other trusted traveller programmes are not covered.
- GOV.UK, Entering the UK: overview, checked 18 October 2026
- GOV.UK, Entering the UK: at border control, checked 18 October 2026
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Global Entry, checked 18 October 2026