Australians heading to the UK will be pleased to know that they will no longer have to wait in long airport queues upon arrival.
UK authorities have given Australian passport holders the green light to pass through ePassport gates, meaning Aussies carrying electronically enabled passports will now be able to skip the long immigration queues at British airports.
Australian nationals aged 18 and over who use a biometric or chipped passport will be able to access the self-use ePassport terminals, which speed up entry to a country through the use of facial recognition technology that matches travellers with their passport portrait.
“Our new global immigration and border system will improve security and fluidity for passengers coming to visit or work in the UK,” British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said.
“Expanding the use of ePassport gates is a key part of this and allows us to improve passenger experience arriving in the UK while keeping our border secure.
“I’m delighted that Australian nationals will benefit from their use and have a smooth beginning to their visit to our country.”
The change also applies to eligible New Zealand nationals. And, to make the entry process even smoother, the British Government may soon scrap the need for Australians and other nationals to fill in landing cards on arrival.
Have you ever had to line up at British airport immigration queues? Are you happy to hear that you will no longer have to do so?
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