Simple Flying
Jake Hardiman
19 May 2025
Earlier today, the UK government announced that it had reached a new agreement with the European Union (EU)...to let UK passport holders use eGates at more airports in the region, expediting border crossings.
While the UK government did not offer an exact timescale for wider access to EU eGates for UK passport holders, The Independent notes that the move is tied to European border reforms. Specifically, the publication notes that October will see the EU roll out a new Entry/Exit System (EES) that will remove the need for non-EU passport holders to have their documentation stamped when crossing the border.
Instead, biometrics will play an increasing role in verifying who is traveling into the EU and when, with fingerprints replacing physical passport stamps as a way of checking that the length of Brits' stays in the region abide by the rules. This biometric information, along with a corresponding photograph of the individual, will be stored in a database for three years.
Read on: British Travelers Will Soon Be Eligible For eGates At European Airports
