Latest news with #eGates
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Portugal holidaymakers given major update for summer holidays
Passengers flying into Faro airport will now face shorter queues after one big change at passport control Holidaymakers heading to Portugal this summer have been handed some good news after the government confirmed eGates at Faro Airport are now open for use by British travellers. The move comes after the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer struck a deal with EU leaders last month. It means tourists to the Algarve region can now move swiftly through the electronic gate system which will scan UK passports and replace the need for stamping them. Previously passengers had to queue for manned immigration booths to have their document stamped thanks to post- Brexit regulations. The result has been and lengthy queues and delays for thousands of Brits. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for EU relations, told Parliament on Thursday, June 5, that UK tourists arriving at Faro over the coming days will be able to use eGates. He said it will make 'life easier for holidaymakers '. He said: "The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests. "Good for bills, borders and jobs. It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. "Indeed, I'm delighted to confirm this morning that Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week." The EU plan to introduce the Entry/Exit system (EES) in October 2025. It will mean passports no longer need to be stamped. Instead fliers will need to have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken to register them on a database, with the data stored for three years The UK Government website says: "If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, when you arrive." It adds: "When EES is introduced, you will need to create a digital record on your first visit to the Schengen area at the port or airport on arrival. "You will be required to submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths." British passports can currently be used at e-gates in the EU at only a limited number of airports in Spain and Portugal. The change at Faro Airport, one of the busiest in Portugal, will be a relief to those heading to the country. There have been chaotic scenes at with pictures of of 'nightmarish' queues at passport control in recent weeks. We reported on three hour queues at the hub with fears the airport was not ready for the peak summer season. The horror queues prompted the APAL - Agência de Promoção de Albufeira, the town's tourism promotion agency - to say they had they had 'deep concern' about the long queues and delays at the airport. APAL warned that these issues jeopardised the region's image and economic health.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Holidaymakers to Portugal can now use airport e-gates, says Labour
Faro airport in Portugal has begun to let British passengers use e-gates, the UK Government has announced. Downing Street expects British holidaymakers will be able to use the technology in their 'millions' after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer struck an agreement with EU leaders last month. Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office minister, whose brief includes EU relations, said at the despatch box on Thursday that the deal 'makes life easier for holidaymakers'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'Yesterday, Portugal opened e-gates at Faro airport to British citizens, which will mean millions more Brits going to the Algarve will be able to use e-gates in time for the summer holidays.' He added: 'We're obviously continuing to work with other countries and other airports to ensure Brits can use more e-gates as soon as possible, and that work continues. 'It's obviously good news to see a very significant airport, I think, for British holidaymakers, opening e-gates to British citizens yesterday.' When he unveiled the deal last month, Sir Keir said that 'for holidaymakers wanting to get out this summer, they will want to know that they can do so easily and without delay and chaos'. The Prime Minister called on 'all EU member states to help make this a reality without delay'. Since Brexit, UK nationals have been unable to use e-gates in most Schengen Area countries. Passengers from the UK face warnings that passport controls on arrival to Portugal ' may take up more time, as the passport will have to be stamped and there are additional questions that may be asked by the border control officers', according to the Faro airport website. The Government has said the deal will smooth over 'legal barriers to e-gates use for UK nationals', once a new stamp-free biometric Entry/Exit System launches, due in October this year. Taking a question about steps 'to improve relations with the EU', Mr Thomas-Symonds told the Commons: ' The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests – good for bills, borders and jobs. 'It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. 'Indeed, I'm delighted to confirm this morning that Faro airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week.'
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Brits can skip passport queues at major holiday destination from this week
Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas Symonds confirmed Keir Starmer's deal with the EU was delivering benefits already - allowing holidaymakers to zip through eGates instead of lengthy passport queues Holidaymakers from the UK can skip lengthy passport queues at a major European holiday destination from today, after Keir Starmer cut a deal with the EU. Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of eGate access to UK arrivals this week, the minister for EU relations has said. Taking a question about steps "to improve relations with the EU", Nick Thomas-Symonds - a minister in the Cabinet Office - told the Commons: "The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests - good for bills, borders and jobs. "It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. "Indeed, I'm delighted to confirm this morning that Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week." Starmer described the deal as a "win-win" as he shook hands with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in London last month. "Britain is back on the world stage," he declared. "[The deal] gives us unprecedented access to the EU market, the best of any country... all while sticking to the red lines in our manifesto." The PM went on to explain the impact of the "new partnership between an independent Britain and our allies in Europe" on voters' daily lives. "Let me set out why it is good for Britain," he said in a speech posted to X. "Today's deal will [...] help British holidaymakers. We're confirming that they will be able to use e-gates when they travel to Europe, ending those huge queues at passport control." Since Brexit, British passport holders have been considered "visa-exempt third-country nationals" and have generally had to queue for manual checks at border control to have their passport stamped. Brits were able to use e-gates at a limited number of airports in Spain and Portugal. However, the EU has now agreed to ease checks on British travellers more universally. The deal states that "there will be no legal barriers to e-gate use for British nationals travelling to and from European Union." It's yet to be confirmed when the rest of the rollout will go ahead. But the EU plans to launch its new Entry/Exit System (EES) in October 2025, replacing the need for non-EU citizens to have their passports stamped. It is thought that more EU airports will allow UK passengers to use the e-gates after the new system comes into effect. The system will require travellers to have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken so they can be registered to a database. Their data will then be stored for three years. Those who do not provide a fingerprint scan and photo will be denied entry. Some EU airports will still require additional checks and Brits may not be able to use e-gates here. Brits will also still be subject to the '90-day rule', whereby eligible non-EU citizens can spend 90 days in any 180-day period in the EU without a visa. Travel records will be digitised under the new EES to enforce this rule and increase border security. The 'landmark deal' is also expected to "lower food prices at checkouts", improve UK defence and put "more money in people's pockets," according to Starmer. Von der Leyen described it as "a historic moment [...] opening a new chapter in our unique relationship."
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Top European holiday destination to let British travellers skip lengthy passport queues this summer
HOLIDAYMAKERS heading to Portugal will face shorter airport queues THIS WEEK with Brits able to use e-gates. The sunshine destination will become the first country to allow UK passport holders to use the system since Sir Keir Starmer struck a deal with Brussels. 1 Travellers have had to queue to have their passports stamped when arriving for their break since the UK left the European Union - often leading to long queues. Around 2.5 million people head to Portugal each year with more with 300,000 heading to the Algarve. Around 50,000 Brits live in the country. It has now been confirmed that holidaymakers heading to Faro airport will be able to use the hi-tech system. Europe relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests - good for bills, borders and jobs. "It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. "Indeed, I'm delighted to confirm this morning that Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week." Only last month, EU relations minister Thomas-Symonds strongly hinted that Brits will face less time waiting at border control. He said: 'I would love to see you being able to go through the border more quickly in that way. 'That's certainly something we've been pushing with the EU and I think that will be something that will be very helpful to British people.' The Prime Minister revealed details of Brits using e-gates during the first summit between Britain and the European Union. But the use of e-gates had to be given the green light by individual countries. The PM came under fire by explicitly saying that ''Brits travelling to Europe will now be able to use e-gates'.
1News
02-06-2025
- Business
- 1News
Customs opens eGates to arrivals from 11 more countries
New Zealand Customs Service is allowing a further 11 countries with eligible passport holders to enter New Zealand using eGates. Several European countries now have access — as well as an initial group of countries from the Middle East — with the total list of countries eligible to 48. Arrivals from the United Arab Emirates, with 9381 touching down in New Zealand during the year to March 2025, was one of the countries now permitted to use the eGates. New Zealand Customs said the additional countries would help "make border processing systems more efficient, smart, and easy to use". The other newly selected countries were Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Vatican City, and Macau (a Special Administrative Region of China). ADVERTISEMENT Acting group manager of Border Operations Paul Williams said around 70% of arriving and departing passengers were processed through the eGates. "The use of eGates, along with other digital options such as completing a New Zealand Traveller Declaration digitally, will help reduce screening times in airport terminals, making it easier and faster for travellers to move through border security," said Williams. Williams said eGates enabled Customs frontline officers to focus on high-risk travellers and baggage "as well as boosting airport patrols to target illegal activities such as drug smuggling". In a trial period, Customs worked with Immigration New Zealand to ensure ePassports from the countries met the necessary border security and technological biometric requirements. EGates were first introduced in New Zealand in 2009 and were available to ePassport holders aged 10 years and older.
