![Border-Control-Process](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Border-Control-Process.png)
Automated border control systems (ABC) or eGates are automated self-service barriers which use data stored in a chip in
biometric passport
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pa ...
s along with a photo or fingerprint taken at the time of entering the eGates to verify the passport holder's identity. Travellers undergo biometric verification using facial or
iris recognition
Iris recognition is an automated method of biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern-recognition techniques on video images of one or both of the irises of an individual's eyes, whose complex patterns are unique, stable, and can b ...
, fingerprints, or a combination of modalities. After the identification process is complete and the passport holder's identity is verified, a physical barrier such as a gate or turnstile opens to permit passage. If the passport holder's identification is not verified or if the system malfunctions, then the gate or turnstile does not open and an immigration officer will meet the person. E-gates came about in the mid-2000s as an automated method of reading the then-newly
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
mandated e-passports.
All eGate systems require an
e-passport
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometrics, biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identit ...
that is
machine readable. Some countries permit only specific nationalities to use the automated border crossing systems, e.g.
EU/
EEA/
Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
citizens or
CAN
Can may refer to:
Containers
* Aluminum can
* Drink can
* Oil can
* Steel and tin cans
* Trash can
* Petrol can
* Metal can (disambiguation)
Music
* Can (band), West Germany, 1968
** ''Can'' (album), 1979
* Can (South Korean band)
Other
* C ...
/
JPN/
SGP/
UK/
US passport bearers, etc. For all other nationalities, citizens must go to immigration officers to be questioned and then have their passport
stamped
Stamped may refer to:
* Stamped (application), an iPhone app
* Stamped (song), by The Verve
*'' Stamped from the Beginning'', a book by Ibram X. Kendi
See also
*Stmpd Rcrds
Stmpd Rcrds (stylised in all caps; pronounced "stamped records") is ...
. They come in different configurations, including a gate, kiosk and gate, or mantrap kiosk, and the process for each setup is the same for departing and arriving passengers.
In the gate configuration, an incoming passenger places their passport data page either on or under a scanner, looks at a camera that will take a live picture to compare to the picture in the passport, and walks through a set of barriers that will open if the citizen's identity is verified. At either the passport scan or photo stage, if either identity cannot be verified or a malfunction happens, an immigration officer will step in at that point. Fingerprint and/or iris scans can also be taken depending on the system. In the kiosk and gate configuration, a passenger approaches a kiosk for a facial, finger and passport scan. They then proceed to a set of doors and pass through using their fingerprint. In the mantrap kiosk configuration, a passenger walks through a first set of barriers to a kiosk for a facial, finger and passport scan. They then proceed out through a second set of barriers.
The number of e-gate units deployed globally is expected to triple from 1,100 in 2013 to more than 3,200 in 2018, according to a 2014 report by Acuity Market Intelligence. Most e-gates have been deployed in airports in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
.
Privacy issues
Automated border control systems typically collect personal information such as the information on the biometric page of the passport: name, sex, date of birth, passport number, passport photograph, nationality, and the country of origin of the passport.
Other information may also be collected, such as travel details, and the facial biometric template.
Travellers’ passport booklets are typically no longer stamped if they are processed by eGates.
Australia
SmartGate
SmartGate (eGate in New Zealand) is an automated self-service border control system operated by the Australian Border Force and New Zealand Customs Service and located at immigration checkpoints in departure and arrival halls in ten Australian in ...
is an automated self-service
border control
Border control refers to measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it a ...
system operated by the
Australian Border Force
The Australian Border Force (ABF) is a federal law enforcement agency, part of the Department of Home Affairs, responsible for offshore and onshore border control enforcement, investigations, compliance and detention operations in Australia. Thr ...
and located at immigration checkpoints in arrival halls in eight Australian international airports. SmartGates allow
Australian ePassport holders and
ePassport
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pas ...
holders of a number of other countries to clear immigration controls more rapidly, and to enhance travel security by performing passport control checks electronically.
SmartGate uses
facial recognition technology
A facial recognition system is a technology capable of matching a human face from a digital image or a video frame against a database of faces. Such a system is typically employed to authenticate users through ID verification services, and ...
to verify the traveller's identity against the data stored in the chip in their
biometric passport
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pa ...
, as well as checking against immigration databases.
Travellers require a biometric passport to use SmartGate as it uses information from the passport (such as photograph, name and date of birth) and in the respective countries' databases (i.e. banned travellers database) to decide whether to grant entry or departure from Australia or to generate a referral to a customs agent.
Eligibility
![Smartgatearrivals](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Smartgatearrivals.jpg)
Travellers are required to hold an ePassport, a valid
Australian visa (except for Australian or New Zealand citizens) and complete an arrival card. The system requires travellers to look as much like their passport photo as possible, which may require removing glasses or hats when using SmartGate.
Requirements
Departing travellers, regardless of age and nationality, can use SmartGate if they have a
machine-readable passport
A machine-readable passport (MRP) is a machine-readable travel document (MRTD) with the data on the identity page encoded in optical character recognition format. Many countries began to issue machine-readable travel documents in the 1980s.
Mos ...
and can independently use the machine.
Arriving travellers using SmartGate must comply with more stringent conditions:
* hold a valid and current biometric passport
* are over the age of 16 (over the age of 10, if an Australian passport holder and accompanied by at least two adults)
* hold an ePassport issued by one of the following jurisdictions:
=Exceptions
=
There are a number of notable exceptions when entering and departing Australia and using SmartGate.
* If airline crew meet the above requirements they are also eligible to use SmartGate or they may continue to use the "crew lane".
* Australian and New Zealand citizens travelling on military orders may not use SmartGate upon arrival.
* Australian children aged 10 to 15 years (inclusive) can use SmartGate upon arrival if they are accompanied by at least two adults.
=Locations
=
In Australia, SmartGate is available at nine international airports:
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
,
Cairns
Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...
,
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
,
Darwin,
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
and Sydney.
History
The first trials of SmartGate began in 2002 with
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
aircrews. The trials were expanded in 2004 to include over 1,000 Qantas platinum frequent flyers, and in 2007 it was launched to the public at
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport is the primary international airport serving Brisbane and South East Queensland. The airport services 31 airlines flying to 50 domestic and 29 international destinations, in total amounting to more than 22.7 million passeng ...
.
Since October 2005, Australia has issued only biometric passports, called ePassports. As the validity of Australian passports do not exceed 10 years, all previous Australian passports have now expired and are now biometric.
In May 2015, the Australian Government announced that SmartGate will be launched at air and sea ports, using solely biometrics to identify and process arriving passengers, with a goal of processing 90% of air travellers automatically by 2020. The introduction of biometric arrivals, under the ''Seamless Traveller'' initiative, is expected to cost approximately AUD93.7m over 5 years and be completed by March 2019.
Canada
![Smartgate at Vancouver International Airport (October 2018)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Smartgate_at_Vancouver_International_Airport_%28October_2018%29.jpg)
Most major Canadian airports use Primary Inspection Kiosks to screen returning Canadian citizens and permanent residents. These machines have meant that there is no longer a requirement at most major airports to complete a customs declaration form for returning citizens and residents. These machines have been heavily criticized by travellers as the setup of these machines creates disruptive passenger flow (as opposed to eGates elsewhere), in addition to the printing of the receipt at the end of the inspection process, negating the original intent of cutting the use of paper. Furthermore, overall wait times for customs have worsened.
These machines take a photo, but may also require a fingerprint if the individual is not Canadian citizen.
eGates were introduced in Terminal 1 of
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Lester B. Pearson International Airport , commonly known as Toronto Pearson International Airport, is an international airport located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is the main airport serving Toronto, its metropolitan area, and the surro ...
in June 2022 as part of a pilot project with the aim of reducing delays. eGates, however, still require travellers to speak to a border officer after completing their declaration.
Members of the
NEXUS
NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and Border control#Expedited border controls, expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members ...
program for trusted travellers may use a special lane with different requirements for identification.
European Union and Schengen Area
The
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
funded project FastPass, one of the
Seventh Framework Programs (FP7), aims to develop and demonstrate a harmonized, modular reference system for European automated border crossing points. Another FP7 project is the ABC4EU project, the primary goal of which is to make border control more flexible by enhancing the workflow and harmonizing the functionalities of ABC e-gates.
Most ABC systems in member states of the
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Ass ...
(EEA) (which includes all the
member states of the European Union together with the
EFTA
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organization and free trade area consisting of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The organization operates in parallel with the European Uni ...
states of
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
,
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy ...
and
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
) and in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
are available for citizens of the EEA and Switzerland to use since, according to Council Regulation (EC) No 2252–2004, all passports and travel documents issued by EFTA and EU member states shall comply with minimum security standards, and passports must incorporate a storage medium (a chip) that contains the holder's facial image and fingerprints.
It was planned that, except for Denmark, Ireland and the UK (which is no longer an EU member state),
EU passports would have digital imaging and
fingerprint
A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfac ...
scan biometrics placed on their RFID chips. This combination of
biometrics
Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics. Biometric authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used to identify in ...
aims to create an unrivalled level of security and protection against fraudulent identification papers. Technical specifications for the new passports have been established by the European Commission. The specifications are binding for the
Schengen agreement
The Schengen Agreement ( , ) is a treaty which led to the creation of Europe's Schengen Area, in which internal border checks have largely been abolished. It was signed on 14 June 1985, near the town of Schengen, Luxembourg, by five of the t ...
parties, i.e. the EU countries, except Ireland and the UK, and three of the four
European Free Trade Association
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organization and free trade area consisting of four List of sovereign states and dependent territories in Europe, European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerlan ...
countries – Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. These countries were obliged to implement machine readable facial images in the passports by 28 August 2006, and fingerprints by 29 June 2009. According to EU requirements, only nations that are signatories to the
Schengen acquis
The Schengen acquis is a set of rules and legislation, integrated into European Union law, which regulate the abolition of border controls at the internal borders within the Schengen Area, as well as the strengthening of border controls at the e ...
are required to add fingerprint biometrics.
Belgium
Passengers who are over 12 years old and have an electronic EU or Monaco passport can make use of the automated border control gates if they travel to a destination outside the
Schengen Area
The Schengen Area ( , ) is an area comprising 27 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. Being an element within the wider area of freedom, security and j ...
.
ABC gates are available at the following locations:
*
Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
Czech Republic
Easy Go enables self-service passport clearance for flights.
Citizens of the European Economic Area and Switzerland, who are biometric passport holders over 15, can use Easy Go.
Prague Airport
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate oc ...
was the first airport in Central and Eastern Europe to offer its passengers an automatic passport control at the E-Gate. It can be used by passengers arriving in Terminal 1 and is based on the German EasyPASS border control system
Denmark
Copenhagen Airport
Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup ( da, Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup, ; ) is an international airport serving Copenhagen, Denmark, Zealand, the Øresund Region, and southern Sweden including Scania. It is the second largest airport in the Nordic coun ...
has installed self-service passport control at the beginning of Pier C.
The automated passport control e-gates can be used by European Economic Area or Swiss citizens aged 18 or over.
Finland
The automated border control system is operated by the
Finnish Border Guard
The Finnish Border Guard (; ) is the agency responsible for enforcing the security of Finland's borders. It is a military organisation, subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior in administrative issues and to the President of Finland in issue ...
and is based on the biometric identification of passengers. A real-life picture is taken to compare individual facial dimensions with the photograph held on the chip in the passport. Passengers travelling with an infant or with a wheelchair still need to choose the manual border control line.
The Finnish Border Guard will implement automated border checks for all nationalities.
Helsinki Airport
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (; fi, Helsinki-Vantaan lentoasema, sv, Helsingfors-Vanda flygplats), or simply Helsinki Airport, is the main international airport of the city of Helsinki, its surrounding Greater Helsinki, metropolitan area, and the ...
has dozens of automated passport machines. These can be used by travellers who have an e-passport (biometric passport).
* Citizens of EU, EEA, Switzerland, Japan and South Korea can use the passport machines at arrival and departure.
* Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can use the passport machines whenever they are departing.
France
PARAFE gates are operated by the ''
direction centrale de la police aux frontières
The Direction centrale de la police aux frontières (DCPAF; en, Central Directorate of the Border Police) is a directorate of the French National Police that is responsible for border control at certain border crossing points in France.
It wa ...
'' and located at immigration checkpoints at major French border controls and offer an alternative to using desks staffed by immigration officers. The gates used
fingerprint
A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfac ...
technology and facial recognition to verify the user's identity against the data stored in the chip in travellers' biometric passports. Facial recognition gates have replaced finger recognition gates. Facial recognition is now confirmed as available at all Parafe-hosting border controls.
Citizens from the European Economic Area, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States can use the Parafe gates, provided that they are aged 18 and over and holding valid
biometric passports
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pas ...
. Minors aged 12+ holding EEA/Swiss biometric passports can also use the Parafe gates on arrival, but not on departure.
For the finger recognition gates, French, Luxembourg, Belgian and German passport holders were pre-registered, while other passports had to go to a border police officer for registration. While the online documentation has not been updated, at least some other European passports work without pre-registration. It is known that German passports work without pre-registration. German passports, like French passports (but unlike British passports), have fingerprint information encrypted in the passport chip. Other EEA/Swiss passports with fingerprint information encrypted in the passport chip might work as well.
Parafe gates are available at the following locations:
*
Paris Orly
Paris Orly Airport (french: Aéroport de Paris-Orly), commonly referred to as Orly , is one of two international airports serving the French capital, Paris, the other one being Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). It is located partially in Orly ...
*
Paris Charles de Gaulle
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (french: Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, ), also known as Roissy Airport or simply Paris CDG, is the principal airport serving the French capital, Paris ( and its metropolitan area), and the largest intern ...
*
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport de Bordeaux-Mérignac) is the international airport of Bordeaux, in south-western France. It is situated in the Communes of France, ''commune'' of Mérignac, Gironde, Mérignac, west o ...
*
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg IATA airport 3-letter codes for the French area, the Swiss area, and the metropolitan area, french: Aéroport de Bâle-Mulhouse-Fribourg, it, Aeroporto di Basilea-Mulhouse-Friburgo, rm, Eroport da Basilea-Mu ...
*
Lyon Airport
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...
*
Marseille Provence Airport
Marseille Provence Airport () is an international airport located 27 km (17 miles) northwest of Marseille, on the territory of Marignane, both ''communes'' of the Bouches-du-Rhône ''département'' in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur '' r ...
*
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur) is an international airport located southwest of Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes ''départment'' of France. It is the third busiest airport in France and serves as a focus ...
*
Eurostar Paris Gare du Nord Terminal (
juxtaposed controls
Juxtaposed controls (in french: link=no, bureaux à contrôles nationaux juxtaposés, or ; in nl, link=no, kantoren waar de nationale controles van beide landen naast elkaar geschieden) are a reciprocal arrangement between Belgium, France, the ...
)
*
Eurostar London St Pancras Terminal (juxtaposed controls)
*
Eurotunnel Calais Terminal
The Eurotunnel Calais Terminal (also known as the Charles Dickens Terminal or Coquelles Terminal) is a railway terminal built for the transport of road-going vehicles on specially constructed trains through the Channel Tunnel. The terminal i ...
(juxtaposed controls)
*
Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal
The Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal (also known as the Victor Hugo Terminal) is a railway terminal built for the transport of road-going vehicles on specially constructed trains through the Channel Tunnel. The terminal is one of two, with the Euro ...
(juxtaposed controls)
Germany
![Germany Munich Airport EasyPASS gates](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Germany_Munich_Airport_EasyPASS_gates.jpg)
EasyPASS border control system - This is available for passengers over 18 (at most airports) with European Union and European Economic Area and Switzerland e-Passports . Additionally,
USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
,
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, and
Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
passport holders can register to use the system.
Since 2018 at Munich Airport and Frankfurt Airport, a trial operation enables third-country nationals to use EasyPass on leaving the EU. Munich Airport enables travelers from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, Monaco, New Zealand and the US while Frankfurt enables travelers from Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, UAE and the US.
EasyPASS is available at:
*
Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Berlin Brandenburg Airport ''Willy Brandt'' (german: Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg "Willy Brandt", , ) is an international airport in Schönefeld, just south of the Germany, German capital Berlin in the state of Brandenburg. Named after the f ...
*
Cologne/Bonn Airport
Cologne Bonn Airport (german: Flughafen Köln/Bonn 'Konrad Adenauer') is the international airport of Germany's fourth-largest city Cologne, and also serves Bonn, former capital of West Germany. With around 12.4 million passengers passing throu ...
*
Düsseldorf Airport
Düsseldorf Airport (german: link=no, Flughafen Düsseldorf, ; until March 2013 ''Düsseldorf International Airport''; ) is the international airport of Düsseldorf, the capital of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is about north ...
*
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport (; german: link=no, Flughafen Frankfurt Main , also known as ''Rhein-Main-Flughafen'') is a major international airport located in Frankfurt, the fifth-largest city of Germany and one of the world's leading financial centres ...
- Passengers aged 12+ can use the gates.
*
Hamburg Airport
Hamburg Airport , known in German as ''Flughafen Hamburg'', is a major international airport in Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany. Since November 2016 the airport has been christened after the former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt. ...
*
Munich Airport
Munich International Airport- Franz Josef Strauß (german: link=no, Flughafen München) is an international airport serving Munich and Upper Bavaria. It is the second-busiest airport in Germany in terms of passenger traffic after Frankfurt A ...
- Passengers aged 12+ can use the gates.
Hungary
Automated Gates are available at Passport Controls at some of Hungary's border crossings. The system involves a passport and facial scan. The system is open to passengers over 18 with European biometric passports or
national identity cards
An identity document (also called ID or colloquially as papers) is any document that may be used to prove a person's identity. If issued in a small, standard credit card size form, it is usually called an identity card (IC, ID card, citizen ca ...
.
Ireland
The
Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service is part of the civil service of the Republic of Ireland. It serves as an executive agency of the Department of Justice.
Overview
The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) was est ...
operates eGates at
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport (Irish language, Irish: ''Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath'') is an international airport serving Dublin, Ireland. It is operated by DAA (Irish company), DAA (formerly Dublin Airport Authority). The airport is located in Collinsto ...
for arrivals at Terminal 1 (Piers 1 and 2) and Terminal 2. They are currently available to citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area states and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
with electronic passports aged 18 or over.
Further, citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the United States aged 18 or over with electronic passports can use the eGates in the Flight Connections Area of Dublin Airport if they are in transit with an onward flight to a destination outside the
Common Travel Area
The Common Travel Area (CTA; ga, Comhlimistéar Taistil, ) is an open borders area comprising the United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. The British Overseas Territories are not included. Based on agreements that are not ...
.
There are proposals to extend the service to non-European citizens.
Irish Passport Cards can, be used.
Italy
![EGate eligibility screen in Venice](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/EGate_eligibility_screen_in_Venice.jpg)
ePassport gates are operated by the Polizia di Frontiera and located at selected immigration checkpoints in non-Schengen arrival and departure halls in some airports across Italy, offering an alternative to using desks staffed by immigration officers. The gates use
facial recognition technology
A facial recognition system is a technology capable of matching a human face from a digital image or a video frame against a database of faces. Such a system is typically employed to authenticate users through ID verification services, and ...
to verify the user's identity against the data stored in the chip in their biometric passport. The eGates do not accept national identity cards.
The system can be used by European Union, European Economic Area and Swiss citizens aged 14 and over.
At
Rome Fiumicino
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
,
Milan Malpensa
Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport is northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino river dividing Lombardy and ...
,
Treviso
Treviso ( , ; vec, Trevixo) is a city and ''comune'' in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 84,669 inhabitants (as of September 2017). Some 3,000 live within the Veneti ...
,
Venice Marco Polo,
Bologna
Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...
and
Verona
Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Northern Italy, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and the ...
airports, eGates are also available to the following non-EU passport holders (aged 14 and over):
1 – only for those holding a passport with National ID number.
However these citizens, after a successful eGate crossing, will still be referred to a border force agent that makes the final entry decision and stamps the passport.
At present, eGates are available at twelve international airports:
In the near future, eGates will be available in Turin, Pisa and Florence airports.
Luxembourg
In July 2018 at
Luxembourg Airport
Luxembourg Airport is the main airport in Luxembourg. Previously called ''Luxembourg Findel Airport'' due to its location at Findel, it is Luxembourg's only international airport and is the only airport in the country with a paved runway. It i ...
, five ABC gates were installed at passport control at departures and another five at passport control at arrivals. Passengers who are over 18 and hold a biometric EU, EFTA, Andorra, Monaco or San Marino passport may use the ABC gates.
Netherlands
The Netherlands
Marechaussee has rolled out e-gates in the Netherlands over the past few years. They work by scanning facial information from the passport and, using
facial recognition the image on the chip is compared to an image captured of the traveler. Currently, there are there are 78 eGates at
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. They are located in the arrival, departure and transfer areas.
The e-gates require the use of a biometric passport.
On arrival, the e-gates can be used by European Union, European Economic Area and Swiss citizens aged 16 and over.
On departure, the following citizens, aged 16 and over may use the e-gates:
For non-EU citizens, the passports will be manually stamped by a border official after using the gates.
Norway
The EasyPass system was introduced in 2012. Two automated self-service passport control units were put in place, designed in collaboration with the
National Police Directorate
National Police Directorate ( no, Politidirektoratet) a government agency subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security which heads the Norwegian Police Service. The directorate is led by the National Police Commissioner (Politidirekt ...
.
Oslo Airport
Oslo Airport ( no, Oslo lufthavn; ), alternatively referred to as Oslo Gardermoen Airport or simply Gardermoen, is the international airport serving Oslo, Norway, the capital and most populous city in the country. A hub for Flyr, Norse Atl ...
was the first in Norway to implement self-service passport control. Initially only Norwegian passport holders were eligible. In the autumn of 2017, eight new e-gates were installed for departing passengers, and during 2017, twelve were installed on arrival.
Norwegian and European Economic Area citizens can use the ePassport gates, provided that they are aged 18 and over and hold a valid biometric passport.
Portugal
RAPID4ALL e-gates are available at
Lisbon Airport
Humberto Delgado Airport , informally Lisbon Airport and formally Portela Airport, is an international airport located northeast of the city centre of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. The airport is the main international gateway to Portugal. ...
Terminal 1,
Faro Airport
Faro Airport ( pt, Aeroporto de Faro, ), officially Gago Coutinho Airport (''Aeroporto Gago Coutinho''), is located westAI of Faro in Portugal. The airport opened in July 1965 being the main gateway to the year-round resort region of the Al ...
,
Madeira Airport
Madeira Airport ( pt, Aeroporto da Madeira, ), informally Funchal Airport (), formally Santa Catarina Airport () and officially Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, is an international airport in the civil parish of Santa Cruz in the Portugu ...
and
Porto Airport
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport or simply Porto Airport (formerly ''Pedras Rubras Airport'') is an international airport near Porto (Oporto), Portugal. It is located northwest of the Clérigos Tower in the centre of Porto, in the municipaliti ...
.
On arrival, the RAPID4ALL e-gates can be used by travellers aged 18 and over holding a valid
biometric passport
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pa ...
from the European Economic Area, as well as the following non-EU countries:
On departure, the RAPID4ALL e-gates can be used by travellers aged 18 and over holding a valid biometric passport from the European Economic Area, as well as the following non-EU countries (provided that they entered the
Schengen Area
The Schengen Area ( , ) is an area comprising 27 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. Being an element within the wider area of freedom, security and j ...
through Portugal):
After a non-EU/EEA citizen clears the e-gate, a border police performs the final verification and affixes a
passport stamp
A passport stamp is an inked impression in a passport typically made by rubber stamp upon entering or exiting a territory.
Passport stamps may occasionally take the form of sticker stamps, such as entry stamps from Japan. Depending on nationality, ...
.
Romania
Romania installed their first e-gates in March 2021. The ABC gates can be used by citizens of the European Economic Area and Switzerland who hold a biometric travel document (passport or identity card) and are over 18 years old.
The gates check people's travel documents, by comparing the facial image from the electronic chip of the passport/identity card with the one captured from the person physically present at the border control, to carry out the process of identification. The gates are connected to the Information System of the Border Police and allow checks to be carried out by querying the databases and access to the relevant operative information.
Currently, they are only available at Bucharest's
Henri Coanda International Airport. There are 6 e-gates for departing passengers but the
Romanian Border Police
The Romanian Border Police ( ro, Poliția de Frontieră) is the structure of the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs (Romania), Ministry of Internal Affairs responsible for the border security and passport control at border crossing points, airpo ...
intends to install up to 24 e-passport gates at Henri Coanda International Airport. The Romanian Border Police also intends to install e-gates throughout other airports in Romania in the future.
Spain
At some Spanish borders, Automated Border Control (ABC) is available to all European citizens over 18 with EPassports at immigration halls, operated by the Spanish National Police. They come in either a gate, kiosk and gate, or mantrap kiosk configuration.
In the gate configuration, a passenger places their passport on a reader, looks at a camera and walks through a set of barriers. Finger scans are sometimes taken depending on the type of gate. Spanish Airports are replacing original kiosk/mantrap gates with these from providers such as Minsait and Everis. These gates also enable departing passengers to use them.
In the kiosk and gate configuration, a passenger approaches a kiosk for a facial, finger and passport scan. They then proceed to a set of doors and pass through using their fingerprint.
In the mantrap kiosk configuration, a passenger walks through a first set of barriers to a kiosk for a facial, finger and passport scan. They then proceed out through a second set of barriers.
Automated Border Control is available at the following locations:
*
Port of Algeciras
The Port of Algeciras is the port and harbour of Algeciras, a city located in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It is a commercial, fishing and passenger port. Primarily a transshipment port, its position nea ...
*
Alicante Airport
Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in th ...
*
Barcelona Airport
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
*
Girona Airport
Girona (officially and in Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in 2020. Girona is the capit ...
*
Ibiza Airport
Ibiza Airport ( ca, Aeroport d'Eivissa, es, Aeropuerto de Ibiza) is the international airport serving the Balearic Islands of Ibiza and Formentera in Spain located southwest of Ibiza Town. In 2020, the airport handled 2.1 million passeng ...
*
La Linea de la Concepción
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...
*
Madrid Airport
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
*
Málaga Airport
Málaga Airport , officially Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport ( es, Aeropuerto de Málaga-Costa del Sol) since June 2011, is the fourth busiest airport in Spain after Madrid–Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. It is significant for Spa ...
*
Menorca Airport
Menorca Airport (; ca, Aeroport de Menorca, es, Aeropuerto de Menorca), also known as Mahón Menorca Airport is an international airport serving the island of Menorca, one of Spain's Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The airport is lo ...
*
Palma de Mallorca Airport
Palma de Mallorca Airport ( ca, Aeroport de Palma de Mallorca, es, link=no, Aeropuerto de Palma de Mallorca; ; also known as Son Sant Joan Airport or ''Aeroport de Son Sant Joan'') is an international airport located east of Palma, Mallorca, ...
*
Tenerife South Airport
Tenerife South Airport ( es, Aeropuerto de Tenerife Sur) , also known as Tenerife South–Reina Sofía Airport, is the larger of the two international airports located on the island of Tenerife (the other being Tenerife North Airport) and t ...
Switzerland
![Zurich International Airport e-Passport control gates](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Zurich_International_Airport_e-Passport_control_gates.jpg)
Automated passport controls were introduced at
Zürich Airport
Zürich Airport (), french: Aéroport de Zurich, it, Aeroporto di Zurigo, rm, Eroport da Turitg is the largest international airport of Switzerland and the principal hub of Swiss International Air Lines. It serves Zürich, Switzerland's larg ...
in May 2018. Passengers over 18 who are holders of biometric passports issued by Switzerland, European Union or European Economic Area member states are eligible to use them.
Rest of Europe
United Kingdom
ePassport gates
ePassport gates are automated self-service barriers (an automated border control system) operated by the UK Border Force and located at immigration checkpoints in arrival halls in some airports across the UK and at the juxtaposed controls in ...
are operated by the
UK Border Force
Border Force (BF) is a law-enforcement command within the Home Office, responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in the United Kingdom. The force was part of the now defunct UK Border Agency from its estab ...
and located at immigration checkpoints in arrival halls in some airports across the United Kingdom, offering an alternative to using desks staffed by immigration officers. The gates use facial recognition technology to verify the user's identity against the data stored in the chip in their biometric passport. The ePassport gates do not accept national identity cards.
Citizens with European Economic Area, European Union, Swiss, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, Singaporean, South Korean, and United States passports can use ePassport gates, provided that they are aged either 12 or over and holding valid
biometric passports
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pas ...
. Users between the ages of 12 and 17 who are using ePassport gates are required to be accompanied by an adult.
Holders of valid biometric passports from Andorra, Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Vatican City State, Honduras, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Israel, Macao Special Administrative Region, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Samoa, Seychelles, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan (passport must have a personal identification number), Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay can use ePassport gates, provided that they are aged 12 or over and are already enrolled as a "Registered Traveller".
ePassport gates are available at the following locations:
*
Birmingham Airport
Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Borou ...
*
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport , at Lulsgate Bottom, on the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England, and the surrounding area. It is southwest of Bristol city centre. Built on ...
*
Cardiff Airport
Cardiff Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Caerdydd) is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. It has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since March 2013, operating at an arm's length as a commercial business. Pa ...
*
East Midlands Airport
East Midlands Airport is an international airport in the East Midlands of England, close to Castle Donington in northwestern Leicestershire, between Loughborough (), Derby () and Nottingham (); Leicester is () to the south and Lincoln () nort ...
*
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is an airport located in the Ingliston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2019, handling over 14.7 million passengers. It was also the sixth-busiest airport in the United Kingdom by t ...
*
Eurostar Brussels-Midi Terminal (
juxtaposed controls
Juxtaposed controls (in french: link=no, bureaux à contrôles nationaux juxtaposés, or ; in nl, link=no, kantoren waar de nationale controles van beide landen naast elkaar geschieden) are a reciprocal arrangement between Belgium, France, the ...
)
*
Eurostar Paris Gare du Nord (juxtaposed controls)
*
Eurostar St Pancras Terminal (juxtaposed controls)
*
Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport (), also known as London Gatwick , is a major international airport near Crawley, West Sussex, England, south of Central London. In 2021, Gatwick was the third-busiest airport by total passenger traffic in the UK, after H ...
(North and South Terminals)
*
Glasgow Airport
gd, Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu
, image = Glasgow Airport logo.svg
, image-width = 200
, image2 = GlasgowAirportFromAir.jpg
, image2-width = 250
, IATA = GLA
, ICAO = EGPF
, type = Public
, owner = AGS Airports
, hub =
*easy ...
*
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others be ...
(Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5)†
*
London City Airport
London City Airport is a regional airport in London, England. It is located in the Royal Docks in the Borough of Newham, approximately east of the City of London and east of Canary Wharf. These are the twin centres of London's financial ...
*
Luton Airport
London Luton Airport is an international airport located in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, situated east of the town centre, and north of Central London. The airport is owned by London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL), a company wholly owned by L ...
*
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport is an international airport in Ringway, Manchester, England, south-west of Manchester city centre. In 2019, it was the third busiest airport in the United Kingdom in terms of passenger numbers and the busiest of those n ...
(Terminals 1, 2 and 3)
*
Newcastle Airport Newcastle or New Castle Airport may refer to:
* Newcastle International Airport, an airport in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
** Newcastle Airport metro station, the Tyne and Wear metro station serving the airport
* Newcastle Airport (Nevis), no ...
*
Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport is a tertiary international airport serving London, England, United Kingdom. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, England, northeast of Central London.
London Stansted serves over 160 destinations acros ...
† Heathrow Airport Terminal 1 became obsolete on 29 June 2015.
Serbia
The automated passport control was introduced to
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport ( sr, / ) or Belgrade Airport ( sr, / ) is an international airport serving Belgrade, Serbia. It is the largest and the busiest airport in Serbia, situated west of downtown Belgrade near the suburb of Surč ...
back in December 2010 as a donation of the German company
Millbauer. Only
Serbian passport
Serbian passports are issued to Serbian citizens at any age, and it is the primary document of international travel issued by Serbia.
Passports are issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Serbia), Ministry of Internal Affairs or, if the cit ...
s are eligible for use. As of now, there is still only one gate and only at arrivals immigration (as everyone, including Serbian citizens, receives an exit stamp on departure) and no further development was announced.
Turkey
Automated Passport Control gates, called "Hızlı Pasaport Geçiş Sistemi" (Expedited Passport-Entry System) was introduced first in Istanbul's
Sabiha Gökçen Airport Sabiha is an Arabic word () meaning "Morning" and a female given name. In Urdu it (خوبصورت، گوری چٹی) refers to beautiful, and blonde hair. People with the name include:
People Given name
*Sabiha Sultan (1894–1971), Ottoman princes ...
in May 2019, quickly followed by the newly opened
Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Airport ( tr, İstanbul Havalimanı, ) is the main international airport serving Istanbul, Turkey. It is located in the Arnavutköy (district), Arnavutköy district on the European side of the city.
All scheduled Commercial aviation, ...
in June 2019. Turkish Citizens with a valid, chipped biometric
Turkish passport
Turkish passports ( tr, Türk pasaportu) are issued in accordance with the Passport Act (No. 5682) from 15 July 1950 to Turkish citizens to travel abroad. Citizens of the ''de facto'' state of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) ...
(both old and new chipped-models are accepted) are eligible to use the automated gates, which require passengers to scan their passports and fingerprints, as well as using a
facial-recognition system by taking a live photograph of the passenger. In the departure immigration checkpoints, a Turkish Border Police will check the departure tax stamp/card ("Harç Pulu") for Turkish citizens. Receiving an exit or entry stamp is optional for Turkish citizens.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
's
e-Channel
e-Channel, also known as The Automated Passenger Clearance System, is an expedited border control system introduced by the Hong Kong Immigration Department in 2004, designed to speed up border immigration processes for residents of Hong Kong, Ma ...
s are situated at all border crossing points. A person who holds a
Hong Kong Identity Card
The Hong Kong identity card (officially HKIC, commonly HKID) is an official identity document issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong. According to the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177), all residents of age 11 or above wh ...
(HKID) inserts the card into a slot to enter the first eGate and then has their thumbprint scanned to pass through the second eGate.
The Automated Passenger Clearance System was introduced by the
Hong Kong Immigration Department
The Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control of Hong Kong. After the People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty of the territory in July 1997, Hong Kong's immigration system remained la ...
in 2004 and designed to speed up border immigration processes for residents of Hong Kong, Macau and frequent visitors to Hong Kong entering and exiting the territory whether it be by land, air or sea via the use of self-service kiosks employed at various border control points.
[http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/unpan/unpan027893.pdf ]
Eligibility
* A Hong Kong permanent resident aged 11 or above
(using a smart identity card)
* A Hong Kong resident aged 11 or above holding a Document of Identity for Visa Purposes (using a smart identity card and carrying a valid Document of Identity for Visa Purposes)
* A person aged 11 or above who has the right to land or is on unconditional stay in Hong Kong (using a smart identity card)
* A non-permanent resident issued with a notification label (using a smart identity card and carrying a valid travel document)
* A registered cross-boundary primary school student under the age of 11 (using the enrolled valid travel document)
* A registered frequent visitor aged 18 or above (using the enrolled valid travel document)
* A registered Macau permanent resident aged 11 or above (using a Macau permanent identity card)
* A registered Republic of Korea citizen aged 17 or above and enrolled under Smart Entry Service (SES) scheme (using the Republic of Korea Passport valid for at least 6 months and having no adverse record in the HKSAR)
*An enrolled holder of a Republic of Singapore Passport aged 11 or above (using a Republic of Singapore Passport valid for at least 6 months, completed 2 trips in past 24 months and having no adverse record in the HKSAR)
*An enrolled holder of a Federal Republic of Germany Passport aged 18 or above (using a Federal Republic of Germany Passport valid for at least 6 months and having no adverse record in the HKSAR)
*An enrolled holder of an Australian Passport aged 16 or above (using an Australian Passport valid for at least 6 months and having no adverse record in the HKSAR)
The user upon entrance to the e-Channel inserts his
Hong Kong Identity Card
The Hong Kong identity card (officially HKIC, commonly HKID) is an official identity document issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong. According to the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Cap. 177), all residents of age 11 or above wh ...
into the card reader (which reads the embedded chip) or places his registered travel document or Macau Identity Card onto the document reader. The channel gate will open, the user takes his Hong Kong identity card or registered travel document or Macau Identity Card and steps in and the gate will close. Thumb or finger is then placed onto the fingerprint reader, once identity has been confirmed, another set of gates in front open allowing exit. If an issue arises and identity cannot be confirmed or a malfunction occurs, an immigration supervisor will be on hand to assist.
Locations
![KCR Lok Ma Chau ImmigrationCounter 20070816](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/KCR_Lok_Ma_Chau_ImmigrationCounter_20070816.jpg)
First made available on 16 December 2004 in Lo Wu Control Point, over the past several years the locations have expanded to include:
*
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is Hong Kong's main airport, built on reclaimed land on the island of Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong. The airport is also referred to as Chek Lap Kok International Airport or ''Chek Lap Kok Airport'', to distinguish ...
*
Lo Wu Control Point
Lo Wu Control Point () is a Hong Kong immigration control point in Lo Wu, New Territories. It sits within the Frontier Closed Area that runs along the border with mainland China. Its counterpart across the border is the Luohu Port in Shenzhen, ...
*
Lok Ma Chau Control Point
Lok Ma Chau Control Point () is an immigration control point in Lok Ma Chau, Yuen Long District, New Territories, Hong Kong, which is on the border between Hong Kong and mainland China. It opened in 1989 as the third road crossing between the ...
*
Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point Lok or LOK may refer to:
Places
* Lok, Serbia, a village
* Lok, Levice District, Slovakia, a village
* Lok, Pakistan, a village
* Loka (pronounced Lok): a plane of existence in Dharma
People Surname Lok (English origin)
* Anne Locke, Lock o ...
*
Man Kam To Control Point
Man Kam To Control Point () is a border control point in Man Kam To, New Territories, Hong Kong, within the Closed Area on the border with China. It was the first vehicular clearance border crossing in Hong Kong. Its counterpart across the bord ...
*
Sha Tau Kok Control Point
Sha Tau Kok Control Point () is a land immigration control point of Hong Kong, located in Sha Tau Kok, North District, New Territories, Hong Kong, along the border between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Opening
Sha Tau Kok was the second cross-b ...
*
Shenzhen Bay Control Point
Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...
*
Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (HZMB) is a bridge–tunnel system consisting of a series of three cable-stayed bridges, an undersea tunnel, and four artificial islands. It is both the longest sea crossing and the longest open-sea fixe ...
*
Hung Hom station
Hung Hom () is a railway station in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is an interchange station between the and the domestic services of the MTR network, as well as the southern terminus of cross-border through-trains to mainland China whic ...
*
West Kowloon station
West Kowloon station (abbreviated WEK), also known as Hong Kong West Kowloon, is the southern terminus of and the only station on the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (HSR). The station con ...
*
Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal
Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal is a ferry terminal, located at China Hong Kong City, 33 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is one of three cross-border ferry terminals in Hong Kong.
The pier has operated since 8 October 1988. ...
*
Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal
The Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal is a ferry terminal and heliport, centrally located in Hong Kong. It is also known as the Macau Ferry Terminal, the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier or the Shun Tak Heliport, and has an ICAO code of VHSS.
The t ...
*
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is a cruise ship terminal on the former Kai Tak Airport runway in Hong Kong. Its completion date was delayed into 2013 due to re-tendering. Following an international competition, Foster + Partners was chosen to d ...
*
Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal
By allowing registered users to use the self-service kiosks to pass through Hong Kong immigration, processing time averages around 12 seconds
making ''E-channels'' far more efficient than traditional immigration counters.
Macau residents
Since its first inception where only Right to Abode Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card holders were permitted to use the self-service kiosks, the program expanded on 12 September 2006; allowing not only those of Right to Land or those with unconditional stay in Hong Kong but also to those residents and non-residents with ''notification labels'' to use the ''E-Channels''.
The program was expanded further again on 10 December 2009 to allow holders of
Macau Resident Identity Card
The Macau Resident Identity Card (; pt, Bilhete de Identidade de Residente) or BIR is an official identity card issued by the Identification Services Bureau of Macau. There are two types of Resident Identity Cards: one for permanent resident ...
to register for and use of the Hong Kong ''E-channels'' to enter and exit the territory.
Border cities to Hong Kong on Mainland China's side such as
Shenzhen
Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...
have E-Channels for use of the
Home Return Permit
The Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, also colloquially referred to as a Home Return Permit or Home Visit Permit , is issued to Chinese nationals who are permanent residents of or settled in Hong Kong and Macau as the ...
cards.
Frequent Visitor Automated Passenger Clearance
Frequent visitors to Hong Kong as well as Macau Resident Card holders can register for ''Frequent Visitor Automated Passenger Clearance''.
A valid travel document with a multiple visit visa (if applicable), plus one of the following documents is needed:
* A valid HKSAR Travel Pass or
* An
APEC Business Travel Card
The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is a travel document issued to business travellers who are citizens of APEC participating economies. Valid for five years, the card eliminates the need for its holder to possess a visa when visiting other APEC ...
with the economy code ‘HKG’ or
* Hong Kong International Airport Frequent Visitor Card or
* Frequent Flyer Programme Membership Card issued by an airline which has joined this arrangement (please enquire with your airline).
e-Channel Service for foreign nationals
The Frequent Visitor program was further expanded to nationals of the following countries.
Such arrangements are reciprocal and eligible
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport is a passport issued only to permanent residents of Hong Kong who also hold Chinese citizenship. Note that: The passport is referred to both as the HKSAR Passport and the Hong Kong Speci ...
holders may also enrol for the respective automated border clearance schemes under these countries:
*
Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
enrolled under Smart Entry Service (SES) scheme (Since 16 December 2013)
* Singapore (Since 22 September 2014)
*
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
(Since 1 November 2014)
* Australia (Since 20 June 2016)
*
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
(Since 15 September 2018)
One Stop Customs and Immigration clearance
A special vehicular ''E-Channel'' has been erected for Shenzhen Bay known as ''One Stop Customs and Immigration Clearance'' for goods vehicle passing through the Shenzhen Bay Control Point, indicating how versatile this system is, and an asset for the
Hong Kong Immigration Department
The Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for immigration control of Hong Kong. After the People's Republic of China assumed sovereignty of the territory in July 1997, Hong Kong's immigration system remained la ...
.
Japan
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
's
J-BIS Biounit is an immigration control system that was introduced into Japanese airports and located at immigration booths. Fingerprints of both index fingers are collected along with a photograph. At the same time, the person is checked against immigration office lists, and criminals, people who were previously deported, and other punished foreigners are prevented from entering Japan. On 20 November 2007,
Narita Airport
Narita International Airport ( ja, 成田国際空港, Narita Kokusai Kūkō) , also known as Tokyo-Narita, formerly and originally known as , is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Haneda Airport ...
,
Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport ( ja, 関西国際空港, Kansai Kokusai Kūkō) commonly known as is the primary international airport in the Greater Osaka Area of Japan and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and K ...
, and
Chūbu Centrair International Airport
is an international airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan.
Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chubu ("ce ...
had the system, with plans to roll out the system to the 27 airports and 126 harbours in Japan.
Until the start of J-BIS, when people would land in Japan and apply for entry, it was difficult to tell which people had changed their names or used special names on their passports, had been deported, or had criminal records. After the events of
9/11
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
, Japan amended its Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.
On 20 November 2007, the changes to the act went into effect. Most foreigners (everyone except special permanent residents, diplomats, people who were invited by the government, and people under the age of 16) were now required to have fingerprints taken from their two index fingers, as well as a photograph. The J-BIS system was the second system of its type enacted in the world; the first was the United States's
US-VISIT
United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (commonly referred to as US-VISIT) is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) management system. The system involves the collection and analysis of biometric data (such as fingerpr ...
system.
[「来日外国人『指紋・顔写真』義務」](_blank)
読売新聞 2007年11月20日
The fingerprint scans and photographs are transferred from the airport to the immigration office's servers, and this information is compared against a blacklist in around five seconds.
This list is a collection of Interpol information and around 14,000 people that have been searched by Japanese police, as well as the fingerprints and pictures that were recorded from around 800,000 foreigners who were deported from Japan.
According to the immigration office, it is predicted that 0.001% of people who enter Japan appear on the blacklist.
Since the introduction of the system, 846 people received exclusion orders by immigration authorities
Yomiuri Shimbun, January 9, 2010 and 8 people were arrested for fabricating their fingerprints. The
Japan Coast Guard
The is the coast guard of Japan.
The Japan Coast Guard consists of about 13,700 personnel and is responsible for the protection of the coastline of Japan under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Th ...
also reported that the number of
smugglers
Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.
There are various ...
crossing the
Korea Strait
The Korea Strait is a sea passage in East Asia between Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The strait is split by the Tsushima Island into the Western Channel and t ...
from the
Korean peninsula
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
has increased rapidly.
Along with the introduction of J-BIS, an "Automated gate" (自動化ゲート) was set up at Terminal 1 and 2 at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Chubu Centrair Airport and Kansai Airport.
[「成田空港、11/20より自動化ゲート導入」](_blank)
H.I.S.海外出張ニュース With this system, when a person enters or leaves Japan, rather than having to be processed by a human examiner there, a person can use an eGate, thereby making both entry and departure simpler and easier, as well as more convenient.
法務省入国管理局 2007年11月 Japanese people with valid passports, foreigners with both valid passports (this includes refugees with valid travel certificates and re-entry permits) and re-entry permits can use this system.
The gate works by holding up the identification page of the passport up to the terminal in front of the transparent booth, and the entrance to the booth will open. Inside the booth, there is an equipment to read fingerprints, where prints from two fingers are taken. After confirmation of identity, the exit gate will open.
Although there is a worker sitting at the gate, according to the Ministry of Justice immigration office's information guide to the automated gates, most Japanese should be able to use the automated gate.
When the automated gate is used, passports are not stamped. When an entry stamp is needed, officials are available near the gate to stamp passports; alternatively, one can use the regular gate.
To use Japanese eGates, prior registration is required. For details, see the Ministry of Justice immigration office's information guide. For this advance registration, Japanese people (those who hold Japanese passports), only fingerprints are needed (not an image), as the automated gate does not take a picture.
Macau
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
uses the same E-Channel system as Hong Kong.
Hong Kong ID Card holders can register. Border cities to Macau on Mainland China's side such as
Zhuhai
Zhuhai (, ; Yale: ''Jyūhói''), also known as Chuhai is a prefecture-level city located on the west bank of Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, on the southeastern edge of Pearl ...
have E-Channels which process
Home Return Permit
The Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, also colloquially referred to as a Home Return Permit or Home Visit Permit , is issued to Chinese nationals who are permanent residents of or settled in Hong Kong and Macau as the ...
cards.
Malaysia
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
was the first country in the world to issue biometric passports in 1998. As such, it was among the first to adopt the use of an automated border control system to facilitate immigration clearance for Malaysian citizens. The Autogate system is available at most immigration checkpoints for all Malaysian passport holders. The system uses facial recognition and thumbprint verification to match against information stored in the traveller's biometric passport.
Foreign residents with Malaysian long-term passes may register to use the e-Gate system at
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation.
KLIA is the largest and b ...
.
At the two road border checkpoints with Singapore, MBIKE is open to registered Malaysian motorcyclists, using an RFID sticker in the registered user's passport. The Malaysia Automated Clearance System (MACS) can be used by registered Singapore citizens, Singapore permanent residents and foreigners residing in Singapore. However, registration for the MACS scheme has been suspended since August 2018, although existing registered users may continue to use automated clearance until the expiration of their MACS stickers.
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
's
Viajero Confiable
''Programa Viajero Confiable'' is a Mexican trusted traveler program which allows members to pass securely through customs and immigration controls in reduced time, using automated kiosks at participating airports. ''Programa Viajero Confiable'', a ...
program is only open to Mexican and US citizens who are members of Global Entry.
It is a
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is the implementation of the requirement to show a passport or other acceptable document to enter the United States, for nationals of certain North American jurisdictions who were previously exempt ...
(WHTI) program and prospective members must pass a background check, interview with a Mexican immigration officer, and have fingerprints and iris scans taken. Kiosks are currently available at the
Cancun,
Los Cabos
LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to:
Science and technology
* Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation
* Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers
* Level of significance, a measure of statistical significance ...
, and
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
international airports, but the Mexican government hopes to expand it to other cities in the near future.
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
also operates the Australian manufactured SmartGate system (renamed as eGates) at
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
,
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
,
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
and
Queenstown airports, but with a more limited list of eligible passports than in Australia: only
ePassport
A biometric passport (also known as an e-passport or a digital passport) is a traditional passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the pas ...
s issued by New Zealand, Australia,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
(excluding
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
), Canada,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, Japan,
The Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, Singapore,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
can be used.
eGates can only be used by travellers 12 years of age or older. (Customs is conducting a trial, in conjunction with other border agencies, about whether to lower the age of eligibility to use eGate for people with an eligible ePassport from 12 years of age to 10 years of age.)
New Zealand eGates use biometrics to match the stored image in the ePassport with the picture of the user taken at the gate.
To make sure eGate can do this, travellers must make sure they look as similar to their ePassport photos as possible and remove veils, scarves and hats that obscures any part of the face. Glasses may be left in place if worn in the ePassport photo and they have thin frames. eGate can handle minor changes in your face, for example if the travellers' weight or hair has changed.
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...
,
Biosecurity
Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, etc.) to animals and plants in order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious disease. In agriculture, thes ...
and
Immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
officials will use information provided at eGates, including photos, to clear travellers and their items across New Zealand's border.
Biometric information is kept for three months before destruction but other information, including about movements across New Zealand's border is kept indefinitely and handled in accordance with the
Privacy Act 1993
Privacy (, ) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively.
The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of a ...
, or as the law authorises. This might include information being used by or shared with other law enforcement or border control authorities.
Singapore
The
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is a law-enforcement command within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the border control agency responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in Singapore.
ICA w ...
of Singapore (ICA) has integrated
information technology
Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...
to streamline the entry and exit procedure at checkpoints. Singapore citizens, permanent residents and other registered travellers can use automated lanes called enhanced-Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS). Foreign visitors whose fingerprints are registered on arrival may use the eIACS lanes for exit clearance. The Biometric Identification of Motorbikers (BIKES) System at land checkpoints can be used by residents and work pass holders entering and leaving Singapore by motorcycle.
The Frequent Traveller Programme (FTP) allows eligible travellers to enjoy convenient immigration clearance via the eIACS automated clearance facilities. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) holders or visitors who have visited at least 2 times within the last 24 months, from certain eligible countries, are able to apply. Eligible countries or regions include Australia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, United Kingdom (“British Citizen” only), New Zealand, Thailand, People's Republic of China (with prior approval of 5-year, multiple-entry visas and Hong Kong SAR passport) and the United States (for citizens who are existing members of the U.S. Global Entry Programme (GEP)), with age variations depending on the type of nationality.
In 2016, ICA began the biometric registering and verification of travellers using the Bioscreen system. Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents have their iris bio-data registered as well.
In 2019, ICA began trialing using the facial and iris recognition as an upgrade to the current fingerprint recognition at various land and air border checkpoints.
In May 2022, ICA announced that from the second half of this year, foreign travellers who have enrolled their facial and iris biometrics on their initial visit to Singapore will be able to obtain automated immigration clearance on subsequent trips to Singapore.
Known as the Automated Clearance Initiative (ACI), no separate registration is required; travellers will be notified on their eligibility to use the automated lanes at the passenger halls and motorcycle lanes on departure and subsequent trips to Singapore upon successful enrolment at the immigration counters.
Travellers are required to provide a valid email address within their SG Arrival card submissions in order to receive their Electronic Visit Pass (e-Pass) when using the automated lanes; travellers will not be issued an arrival immigration endorsement in their passports.
The ACI is available to the following passport holders (aged 6 and over):
1 – Only for Mainland Chinese citizens holding a 5 year Multiple Journey Visa (MJV). 2 – Only British citizens
British nationality law prescribes the conditions under which a person is recognised as being a national of the United Kingdom. The six different classes of British nationality each have varying degrees of civil and political rights, due to the ...
are eligible for enrollment.
In 2022, ICA also announced that from 2023, all travellers will be able to use automated lanes upon arrival in Singapore for faster immigration clearance; the ICA noting that "the use of iris patterns and facial features as primary identifiers for immigration clearance not only provides more robust and reliable identity authentication of travellers, but (also) more hygienic, convenient and efficient immigration clearance".
ICA also announced in the future, Singapore residents - either departing or arriving - will be able to clear immigration entirely with iris and thumbprint verification, without presenting their passports.
South Korea
South Korea's
Smart Entry Service
Smart or SMART may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Smart'' (Hey! Say! JUMP album), 2014
* Smart (Hotels.com), former mascot of Hotels.com
* ''Smart'' (Sleeper album), 1995 debut album by Sleeper
* ''SMart'', a children's television seri ...
(SeS) is a voluntary program that allows pre-approved and trusted travellers to proceed through South Korean immigration using biometric information included in their passports at eGates. Typically this takes less than 12 seconds.
Eligible applicants register their fingerprints and facial image in advance and must agree to the use of their registered personal information.
South Koreans aged 7 or above, citizens from selected countries, foreigners aged 17 or above and holding Korean Alien Registration Card, foreign crew members with multiple-entry visas, and foreigners holding Korea Priority Card issued by Ministry of Justice are eligible. Foreign nationalities eligible to register include American citizens enrolled in Global Entry, Hong Kong SAR passport holders, Macau SAR passport holders, and Taiwanese passport holders. The nationals must not hold Korean Alien Registration Card. For Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan passport holders, they must not use other passports such as People's Republic of China passport, British National (Overseas) passport, and Portuguese passport when they enter South Korea to be eligible.
Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
's eGate is a free automated entry system for Taiwanese citizens and certain classes of residents and frequent visitors. Users simply scan their travel documents at the gate and are passed through for facial recognition. Electronic fingerprinting is used when facial recognition fails. Registration is available at the immigration counter right at the port of entry.
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
's automated passport control (APC) system at
Suvarnabhumi Airport and
Don Mueang International Airport
Don Mueang International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานดอนเมือง, , , or colloquially as , ) is one of two international airports serving the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, the other one being Suvarnabhumi Airp ...
has been available for Thai nationals since 2012. Holders of
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
and Singapore ePassports can also use the automated passport control gates.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE's
Smart Gate system allows UAE nationals, UAE residents,
GCC nationals, and passport holders of certain counties to arrive and depart the country without the need to see an immigration officer. The process takes 30 seconds.
United States
U.S. citizen
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
s,
U.S. lawful permanent residents,
Canadian citizen
Canadian nationality law details the conditions in which a person is a national of Canada. With few exceptions, almost all individuals born in the country are automatically citizens at birth. Foreign nationals may naturalize after living in Ca ...
s,
Canadian permanent residents, eligible
Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a program of the United States federal government that allows nationals of specific countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. It ...
travellers and passengers holding a B1/B2, C1/D, or D visa are eligible to use a system called
Automated Passport Control (APC) for free without having to pre-register.
Besides APC, certain low-risk travelers can also apply to enroll in trusted Trusted Traveler Programs operated by
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilit ...
, such as
Global Entry
Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports and via the SE ...
and
NEXUS
NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and Border control#Expedited border controls, expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members ...
. Applicants must file an application, pay a registration fee, go through a background check and attend an interview. Once approved, in addition to using self-service kiosks just like APC, travelers may receive additional benefits such as
TSA PreCheck.
Global Entry
Global Entry
Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports and via the SE ...
is a program of the
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilit ...
service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travellers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States.
Qatar
E-Gate is a program that allows Qatari national, expatriate citizens of Qatar and GCC national to apply for an e-gate card by visiting the Ministry of Interior office in Al Gharafa (Doha).
See also
*
Iris Recognition Immigration System
*
Port Passenger Accelerated Service System The Port Passenger Accelerated Service System (PORTPASS) was a suite of programs of the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), including:
* Immigration and Naturalization Service Passenger Accelerated Service System ( INSPASS)
* ...
(PORTPASS)
*
Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection
The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) provides expedited U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processing, at the U.S.-Mexico border, of pre-approved travelers considered low-risk. Voluntarily applicants must u ...
(SENTRI)
*
Airport of Entry
In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. Internatio ...
*
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. Internati ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Australian Border Force: SmartGategov.uk: Use ePassport gates for fast entry into the UKUS Automated Passport controlSG Automated Lanes at the Passenger Halls
Biometrics
Expedited border crossing schemes
Biometric databases