Who can go through e-gates UK?

Use the eGates for quicker entry
  • a British citizen.
  • a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA.
  • a member of the Registered Traveller Service.




In 2026, the UK's ePassport gates are available to citizens of the UK, EU, EEA, and Switzerland, as well as citizens from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the USA. To use them, you must be at least 10 years old (those aged 10-17 must be accompanied by an adult) and possess a biometric passport (indicated by the small gold camera icon on the cover). Additionally, members of the Registered Traveller Service from certain other countries (like Israel, Mexico, and Brazil) can also use the gates. As of February 2026, most non-visa nationals must also have a valid Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) linked to their passport to pass through. The e-gates use facial recognition to compare your live image to the chip in your passport. If you are entering the UK on a specific work visa that requires a physical passport stamp (like a Creative Worker visa), you should avoid the e-gates and see an officer to ensure your entry is recorded correctly for your right to work.

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Use the eGates for quicker entry a British citizen. a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA. a member of the Registered Traveller Service.

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Starting June 2019 U.S. passport holders will be able to use the ePassport Gates on arrival in the United Kingdom. U.S. citizens who had previously registered for the UK's Registered Traveller Service (RTS) should now also use the ePassport Gates on arrival in the UK.

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The only time your passport is likely to be 'flagged' is when: there is a warrant out for your arrest either nationally or internationally through Interpol. you are currently undergoing investigation for a possible criminal offence. you have been engaged in some kind of terrorist activity and/or on a Watch List.

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It is important to provide accurate answers to these questions in order to satisfy the officials. If your answers do not satisfy the officials, you may be refused entry to the UK at the airport. If this happens, you will either be taken to an immigration detention centre or sent back to your departure location.

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There is not really a way to know if you have a block on your passport however leaving the country and even the state may be a violation of your Own Recognizance Bond.

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From November passport holders will no longer have their passports stamped as the process becomes digitised. Following Brexit UK holidaymakers have been required to have their passports stamped whenever they've entered or left the Schengen Area.

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Having a flagged passport typically refers to a situation where a person's passport is marked or identified by authorities for special attention or scrutiny. This could be due to a variety of reasons, including legal, security, or administrative concerns.

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