Facial recognition to replace passport checks at the UK border

A move towards a frictionless UK border

Photo by Martijn Stoof on Pexels

Passengers arriving in the United Kingdom may no longer need to present their passports at border control in the future. According to a report by The Times, UK airports are preparing to introduce new smart eGates that rely on advanced facial recognition technology.

Under the plans, travellers would be cleared to enter the country simply by looking into a camera, removing the need to physically show travel documents at the border. Comparable systems are already operating in countries such as Dubai and Australia.

Border Force plans for an “intelligent border”

Phil Douglas, director-general of the UK Border Force, told The Times that his objective is to build an “intelligent border” that uses facial recognition in a way that is significantly more seamless than current systems.

Before full deployment, the technology will be tested through trials. These trials are expected to lead to the launch of a complete procurement process for new-generation eGates.

Upgrading existing eGates

At present, more than 270 eGates are installed across 15 air and rail ports in the UK. These gates will need to be upgraded to support the new facial recognition capability.

Currently, eGates can be used by passengers aged over 10 who are British citizens or nationals of the following countries:

• European Union member states
• Australia
• Canada
• Iceland
• Japan
• Liechtenstein
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• United States

Wider changes to border controls

The reported UK changes follow recent announcements by the European Union. British travellers entering the EU will be required to provide fingerprints and have their facial image captured from next autumn.

These requirements form part of the EU’s forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES), which applies to non-EU passport holders. The EES is scheduled to launch on 6 October 2024, after being postponed from its original start date of May 2023.

The EES will later be followed by the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), a visa-waiver scheme for travellers from so-called third countries entering the Schengen Area. ETIAS is expected to begin in mid-2025 after multiple delays.

UK Electronic Travel Authorisation

Meanwhile, foreign nationals who do not currently require a visa to enter the UK will, in future, need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling. This system is being introduced gradually, with a phased rollout planned over the coming years.