British travellers arriving back in UK could 'avoid passport queues' with new facial recognition technology
17 March 2025, 19:18
British holiday goers touching back down in the UK after their travels will be able to swerve passport queues under plans to use facial recognition technology at ports.
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British holiday goers touching back down in the UK after their travels will be able to swerve passport queues under plans to use facial recognition technology at ports.
Under the Home Office’s plans, high-tech cameras will match travellers' faces to their passport and car details.This will create a system of so-called “contactless corridors”, where passengers won’t even need to leave their cars as they cross the border on ferry trips.
Similar plans are reportedly being drawn up for airports, where Brits returning home will be scanned automatically before swiftly heading to the exit, according to The Telegraph.
The groundbreaking technology has been on trial at four ports since November, according to The Telegraph.
It has been designed to help slash queuing times that tend to pile up during busy holiday periods.Four companies have reportedly trialled their technology, which could be rolled out as soon as next year.
The trails h to “use advanced facial comparison technology to identify people by capturing high-quality facial images within vehicles”. It was also carried out to “ensure the application links the confirmed passenger ID with the vehicle they are travelling in, enhancing security and border control efficiency.”
Ferry companies currently advise those arriving at ports to allow 90 minutes for Border Force officers’ manual passport inspections and check-in controls.
Starting from April 2025, most overseas visitors to the UK will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation before entering the country.
Tourists arriving in the country will be required to submit biometric details via an app under the ETA scheme.
Passengers will be required to hand over their data before travelling, which will be checked on arrival at the ports by facial recognition cameras, the Telegraph reports.
It means security checks on people added to a database can occur before they arrive in the country. British and Irish holidaymakers would have already provided their biometric details as part of the passport application process.
This forms part of the UK Home Office’s efforts to implement a “more streamlined, digital immigration system” aimed at bolstering security and efficiency at UK borders.
Airlines, ferry companies, and train operators will be responsible for checking passengers have valid ETA before travelling.Carriers that fail to verify an ETA could receive a £2,000 fine for each undocumented passenger.
The United States, Canada, and Australia, have similar schemes in place, where passengers need to apply for digital travel permits online before travelling.
A Home Office spokesman said: “We use a wide range of techniques and technology to protect our border security, but we do not comment on trials of specific equipment.”
It comes as the EU prepares to launch its European Entry/Exit System (EES) for Brits arriving in Europe. In Dover, authorities have warned the port could expect 14-hour-long queues after once the EES comes into effect.
Under the EES, all British nationals travelling to the EU will have to have their biometric data taken upon crossing the border for the first time.
They will need to have their fingerprints scanned and a photograph taken to register them on the database - the data will then be stored for three years.It is intended to replace the scanning and stamping of passports that has been mandatory for most Brits since Brexit.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) is the next phase of the bloc’s tightened border controls, where British holidaymakers will have to provide biometric data ahead of travelling to be allowed in to EU countries.
