Families travelling to the UK will soon spend less time waiting at border control. The UK government has confirmed that children aged 8 and 9 will be allowed to use passport e-gates from July 8, 2026, as long as they are at least 120cm tall and travelling with an adult.
Right now, only children aged 10 and above can use the automated gates.
The change is expected to make arrivals faster for families landing at major UK airports, especially during busy holiday periods.
What Are UK Passport E-Gates?
UK passport e-gates are automated border control gates that check a traveller’s identity using facial recognition technology.
The system scans the biometric chip inside a passport and compares the traveller’s face with the passport photo. If everything matches, the gate opens automatically without needing to speak to a border officer.
For travellers, this usually means shorter queues and quicker entry into the country.
Which Airports and Rail Stations Have E-Gates?
The UK currently operates 293 passport e-gates across 15 airports and rail locations. These include major airports such as:
- Heathrow
- Gatwick
- Stansted
- London City
- Luton
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Manchester
- Newcastle
E-gates are also available at Eurostar terminals in Brussels and Paris, making train travel between the UK and Europe smoother for eligible passengers.
Who Can Use UK E-Gates?
Travellers can use the gates if they:
- Hold a biometric passport
- Meet the minimum age requirement
- Belong to an eligible nationality group or travel program
Eligible travellers include:
- British citizens
- Citizens of EU countries
- Nationals of countries including Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States
- Members of the UK Registered Traveller Service
The Registered Traveller Service allows frequent visitors to enter the UK faster through dedicated border channels.
Why This Matters for Families
For parents travelling with children, border queues can often become the most tiring part of the journey. Allowing younger children to use e-gates could reduce waiting times significantly at busy airports like Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport.
Final Thoughts
The move of allowing more children to use e-gates also reflects a wider trend in international travel, where airports increasingly rely on biometric technology to speed up immigration checks while handling growing passenger numbers.
For many families arriving in the UK, the process should now feel a little quicker and a lot less stressful.
For more details about the UK Registered Traveller Service, travellers can visit the UK Registered Traveller Service.
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