The UK is scrapping all landing cards for international passengers as part of Border Force changes, the Home Office has announced.
International passengers will also now be able to enter the UK through e-gates at passport control, which are currently only open to those from inside the UK.
Border Force director general Paul Lincoln, in a letter to staff, said the change would "help meet the challenge of growing passenger numbers".
He said: "These changes will enable frontline officers to focus their skills and time on border security issues and on cohorts who present the greatest risk of immigration abuse."
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But unions warned it risked weakening immigration control, reports the BBC .
Lucy Moreton, Immigration Service Union general secretary, accused the Home Office of "ignoring" warnings from experienced staff about the long-term impact of scrapping the landing cards.
Landing cards currently have to be filled in by people from all countries outside the EU.
They ask details of the person's visit to the UK as well as where and how long they are planning to stay.
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Lucy Moreton added: "Although in most cases landing cards are retained for purely statistical reasons they do contain the only record of what was said to an officer on arrival."
It's understood the Home Office will be getting rid of landing cards for travellers entering the UK from seven countries.
