(Image: Newsquest)
Millions of passengers arriving at Edinburgh Airport could soon be able to quickly pass through airport passport control without needing to put their passports into an eGate.
UK airports, including Edinburgh, are rolling out a new contactless system from this week, with the technology designed to speed up arrivals while maintaining existing border security checks.
The phased rollout began at East Midlands Airport on October 6, initially for British citizens, with the technology expected to be introduced at all UK airports by early 2027.
Testing has shown the contactless system can be up to 25% faster than using a passport on an eGate.
How the new contactless airport eGates will work at Edinburgh Airport
Currently, passengers must put their passport onto a reader, but with the new system, they will approach the eGate and have their photograph taken.
The system then compares the live image with verified immigration, travel and passport information, and if the checks are completed successfully, the gate opens automatically, and the passenger can walk through without presenting their passport to the machine.
The Home Office says the facial technology verifies a passenger's identity before the UK's immigration and security checks are completed.
However, this does not mean you don't need your passport with you – it is still a vital document for travelling.
If further checks are needed, passengers may be asked to put their passport on the eGate reader or speak to a Border Force officer, just as they do under the current system.
Border Force officers will also continue to monitor the eGates and provide assistance where needed.
When is Edinburgh Airport getting the new eGate system?
The new eGate system will come into force at Edinburgh Airport by early next year, but an official date has not yet been confirmed.
eGates will be updated gradually across various UK airports by early 2027, including:
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Gatwick
- Glasgow
- Heathrow
- London City
- Luton
- Newcastle
- Stansted
At present, British citizens are the first group able to use the contactless system, with other nationalities already eligible for eGates expected to be brought into the system during the rollout.
The existing eGate eligibility rules otherwise remain unchanged.
East Midlands Airport is the first UK airport to introduce the contactless eGates, with Birmingham also among the first airports involved in the rollout.
Phil Douglas, director general of Border Force, said: “This is a win for travellers coming to our brilliant country.
“By using state-of-the-art technology, we are making journeys smoother and faster, all while fully maintaining the UK's robust border security.
“Our digital transformation also builds on our work this summer to extend eGates to children aged eight and above, making life a little easier for families.”
Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, said: “This will be excellent news for the passenger and demonstrates how UK airports continue to be at the forefront of new technologies to keep our borders safe, while improving the travelling experience.
“It is vital that we have the fast, efficient borders that arrivals into the UK now expect, and we will work closely with our members and government officials to ensure a smooth rollout.”
£500 million expansion at Edinburgh Airport begins
Edinburgh Airport has unveiled a new brand identity, which it says reflects "its position as Scotland’s busiest airport and its ambitions for the future".
This is the first phase of a multi-year investment programme which aims to transform the airport campus and improve the passenger experience.
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The airport, which welcomed almost 17 million people in 2025, worked with Edinburgh-based marketing experts Lane to develop the new identity.
The revamped brand retains recognisable elements of the existing Edinburgh Airport identity, including the iconic air traffic control tower, which opened in 2005.
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