e-Passport Gates

You should see a border officer if you are:

• Travelling with children under 12 years old
• Travelling on your National Identity card (Only EU/ EEA nationals can enter the UK on a National ID card)
• Travelling with a passport that doesn’t have a biometric chip
• You are a visitor who can apply for their entry stamp when they enter the UK (See ‘Visits of less than 6 months’ below)

I am a student coming to study for more than 6 months. Can I use the eGates?

Yes - longer term students with a visa or a student biometric residence permit to allow you to study, can use the eGates.

I am a student coming to study in the UK for less than 6 months. Can I use the eGates?

No- International students from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America who are coming to study in the UK for less than six months need to see an officer and get a stamp in their passport unless they have applied for entry clearance before travel.

These travellers will require a specific grant of leave, which has to be given by an officer (in the form of a stamp).

Without this passport stamp these individuals will be unable to do the activities they are coming to the UK to do.

I am coming to visit the university for up to 6 months, for a reason other than study can I use the eGates?

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the United States of America can use the eGates unless you are coming to the UK for a specific reason, including:

• have a Tier 5 sport & Arts Certificate of Sponsorship;
• due to carry out Permitted Paid Engagements;
• a family member of an EEA national seeking to join them permanently in the UK.

Visa National

If you are a national on UKVI Appendix 2, you must apply for your visa before you leave your home country, regardless of the length of your visit.

Non-Visa National

If you are a national of a country that is not listed on Appendix 2 above, for visits of up to six months, you may have a choice of applying for your visa before you travel or you can have an entry stamp when you arrive in the UK.  In either case you must have immigration permissions to engage in your activities with the University of Birmingham.  If you do not apply for your visa before you travel, you will need to see a Border Officer when you come through Border Control - you must not go through the eGate.  The Border Officer will ask you for the purpose of your visit, you will show them your visa letter from the University and they will put a stamp in your passport that will permit you to carry out your activities.

If your visit is less than six months and you require a stamp in your passport but you go through the eGate by mistake you will be unable to do the activities you are coming to the UK to do.

You must tell the University as soon as you can that you entered an eGate by mistake.  Please email visacompliance@contacts.bham.ac.uk

You will not be able to start any activities with the University and will have to wait until your matter has been resolved.

This could take a number of weeks which could mean that you have to delay your studies or your visit.

Travellers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA are no longer eligible to apply for Registered Traveller Service. The service will continue for 33 countries.

You should refer to UK Government guidance if you are considering using the Registered Traveller Service.

If you are a visitor who entered the UK via an eGate, you will no longer receive an entry stamp in your passport. 

If you are a national from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Japan, Singapore and South Korea and you are intending to rent accomodation in the UK from a letting agent or private landlord or intend to rent a room  from a private landlord or a host family, will need to retain evidence that they travelled to or entered the UK within the last six months. 

This proof has to be presented to the landlord, letting agent or host family together with your passport as you may not be able to rent without it.

Acceptable evidence of entry to the UK may include:

• a boarding card
• flight ticket or booking confirmation for travel to the UK within the last six months
• any other documentary proof which confirms your date of arrival in the UK is also acceptable.

A photocopy, photograph, screenshot or scanned copy of the evidence that includes your name and/or passport number is acceptable.  If you are an International students who is here for longer than six months, and if you are going to be renting non-University accommodation, you can ask to can see a Border Officer before you go through the eGate and tell them you need a stamp for renting accommodation and ask them to put a stamp in your passport as evidence of their entry.

 

 

UKVI have provided information in several languages.  If your language is not here, please don’t worry as your Embassy or High Commission may have the information available in your language.

English 

• Can I use an e-Gate? (PDF - 154KB)
• Who needs a passport stamp? (PDF - 62KB)
• Short term study or certain types of work (PDF - 553KB)
• Are you a student from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or USA? (PDF - 553KB)

Chinese

• Can I use an e-Gate? (PDF - 493KB)
• Who needs a passport stamp? (PDF - 578KB)

Japanese

• Can I use an e-Gate (PDF - 496KB)
• Who needs a passport stamp? (PDF - 579KB)

Korean

• Can I use an e-Gate? (PDF - 487KB)
• Who needs a passport stamp? (PDF - 574KB)

Tamil

• Can I use an e-Gate? (PDF - 498KB)
• Who needs a passport stamp? (PDF - 585KB)

French

• Can I use an e-Gate? (PDF - 475KB)
• Who needs a passport stamp? (PDF - 292KB)

What are e-Gates?

eGates are an automated self-service option that eligible travellers can use at passport control at 15 ports and Eurostar terminals. They are a quicker way to cross the border. The eGates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport.

How many ports have eGates?

There are 15 ports with eGates:

-       Birmingham

-       East Midlands

-       London City

-       Luton

-       Stansted

-       Heathrow

-       Edinburgh

-       Glasgow

-       Manchester

-       Newcastle

-       Bristol

-       Cardiff

-       Gatwick Airport

-       Eurostar terminals in Brussels-Midi/Zuid

-       Eurostar terminals in Paris Gare du Nord.

Who can use eGates?

Citizens of the countries listed below can use the eGates if they are aged 12+ and hold a biometric passport.  12-17 year olds must be accompanied by an adult. Registered Traveller Service members can also use the eGates:

-       The UK

-       EU

-       EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland)

-       Australia

-       Canada

-       Japan

-       New Zealand

-       Singapore

-       South Korea 

-       United States of America

Who can't use e-Gates? 

Travellers will still need to see a Border Officer if they are travelling with children under 12 years, using a National Identity card or travelling with a passport that does not have a biometric chip. 

Travellers from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America coming to the UK for short term study, specific types of work should not use the eGates as they need to see a Border Officer on arrival to receive a stamp in their passport.

All citizens of countries not listed, who are not Registered Traveller Service Members.

For specific information about those travellers who need to see an officer to receive a passport stamp on arrival, please use the links below:

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the United States of America will no longer need a passport stamp excep tif they are coming to the UK for a specific reason, including:

• coming for short term study of up to 6 months;
• have a Tier 5 sport & Arts Certificate of Sponsorship;
• due to carry out Permitted Paid Engagements;
• a family member of an EEA national seeking to join them permanently in the UK.

Further travel advice

For further details on faster travel advice see UK Government guidance.