Bristol Airport (BRS), along with 12 other airports, has updated its electric gate (eGate/ePassport gates) rules this summer. Now, eligible travellers and children aged 8 and above will be permitted to use this system to help shorten queues.
eGates
eGates (ePassport gates) are automated border-control barriers that use facial recognition to allow eligible travellers to clear passport control without speaking to an officer. In the UK, they are located at juxtaposed rail ports and 13 major airports:
- Birmingham Airport (BHX) and Bristol Airport (BRS).
- Cardiff International Airport (CWL).
- East Midlands Airport (EMA) and Edinburgh Airport (EDI).
- Glasgow International Airport (GLA).
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW), London Heathrow Airport (LHR), London City Airport (LCY), London Luton Airport (LTN), and London Stansted Airport (STN).
- Manchester Airport (MAN).
- Newcastle International Airport (NCL).
A key driver of the eGates was that global air travel grew too quickly for physical airports to keep pace. There was not enough space or staff to process hundreds of millions of travellers manually without creating hours-long queues.
The New Rule
The change allowing 8- and 9-year-olds to use the eGates took effect on Wednesday, July 8, 2026; previously, children had to be at least 10 years old to use them. The Home Office lowered the minimum age threshold from 10 to 8 years old across all 13 UK airports (including BRS) and juxtaposed rail terminals. The policy was introduced just ahead of the peak summer holiday season to help up to 1.5 million more children pass through passport control much faster.
The updated rules and eligible travellers:
- Age & Accompaniment: You must be 8 years or older, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Height Requirement: You must be at least 120 cm tall for the facial recognition camera to position itself and scan properly.
- Passport Type: You must hold a valid biometric passport which features the gold camera symbol on the front cover.
- Eligible Nationalities: You must be a citizen of the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, or the USA.
- Immigration Status: You must have a valid visa, ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), or eligible settled status where required.
By shifting hundreds of thousands of low-risk family groups to automated gates, not only will queues shorten, but UK Border Force officers will be freed up to focus on high-risk passengers, complex immigration checks, and safeguarding duties.
Will this new rule benefit your family this year? Let us know in the comments below!
