- From 8 July, children aged eight and nine returning to the UK will be eligible to use automated e-gates at airports and ports, a change expected to benefit up to 1.5 million additional children.
- This policy aims to provide families with a swifter and smoother journey through border control, utilising facial recognition technology for identity verification.
- To use the e-gates, children must be at least 120cm tall to ensure they can be seen by biometric scanners and must be accompanied by an adult.
- The new eligibility applies to the 13 UK airports equipped with e-gates, as well as ports in Brussels and Paris where juxtaposed checks are conducted.
- Migration minister Mike Tapp said the change will improve travel for families, while Border Force director-general Phil Douglas noted it allows highly skilled officers to focus on intercepting threats to the UK.
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