UK passport holders will soon be able to use e-gates at more EU airports, the UK government has announced.
It comes as part a "breakthrough" post-Brexit reset deal between the UK government and the European Union.
The UK government said the move would end “the dreaded queues at border control" with Brits being allowed to use fast-track e-gates usually reserved for EU or European Economic Area citizens at more airports.
EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said this would give British travellers "more time to spend on holiday or work trips [...] doing what you want, not being stuck in queues."
UK travellers have to join ‘other nations’ queue at EU airports
Following Brexit, UK citizens forfeited their privileged status when travelling to EU countries.
They now fall into the ‘visa-exempt third-country nationals’ category - the same classification as travellers from dozens of countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore.
This has meant British travellers must join the ‘other nations’ queue at border control rather than using the expedited EU lanes. The requirement to check that British travellers meet entry conditions is a significant obstacle to allowing them to use the fast-track lanes.
EU border control has to verify that UK travellers are not in breach of the 90-day stay limit in 180 days and that they have the means to return to their country of origin, i.e. a flight ticket out of the EU.
Frontier officials must also stamp the passenger’s passport.
This change often translates to extended waiting times, especially at busy European airports like Amsterdam Schiphol, Milan Malpensa, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Waits exceeding an hour have become commonplace, especially when arriving shortly after large international flights.
These delays affect not only entry into EU countries but also departure, as British travellers must undergo exit checks that sometimes result in missed flights due to lengthy queues.
UK travellers will be able to use e-gates at many European airports
Under the new deal, British travellers will be able to take advantage of the faster e-gate passport checks at many EU airports.
No details have yet been released on when this will be introduced and where, although the BBC reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer "has called on all EU members to co-operate without delay."
Some EU airports will likely allow UK travellers to use existing e-gates reserved for EU citizens, while others may install dedicated 'third-country national' e-gates.
The latter are already in place across Italy, including Venice Marco Polo and Rome Fiumicino, as well as at Amsterdam Schiphol and Lisbon.
With this system, once the traveller passes through the gate, there is a brief check by border officials who will also stamp passports.
Brits will use e-gates in all airports after introduction of EES
In addition, the UK government underlined that there will be "no legal barriers to e-gate use for British Nationals travelling to and from European Union Member States after the introduction of the European Union Entry/Exit System [EES].”
The EES is scheduled to come into force in October this year. The system will register non-EU visitors who don't need a visa digitally, removing the need for physical stamps.
New pet passports will make it easier for Brits to bring pets into EU
The UK government also announced that new pet passports will be introduced as part of the deal.
This means UK cats and dogs will be able to travel "more easily" from the UK into the EU by "eliminating the need for animal health certificates for every trip."
