Uk & Eu Immigration On Arrival In Uk

[NanLaew]

The news has been full of the huge delays being encountered by just about everyone arriving at Heathrow. I was reading an older article about the automated ePassport gates that had been set up for those with the 'chipped' passports that have the biometrics electronically encoded. Did these ever get introduced? It would appear from the news that regardless of passport, everyone has to do a face-to-face with a border guard. I may be headed to LHR soon and wonder if the media spin is making things worse than they appear and there are channels, albeit maybe only marginally quicker than the conga lines, that may make for a shorter queue. I normally enter at Aberdeen direct from Amsterdam and the bag is usually on the delivery conveyor by the time all the passengers clear the two border guards.

[beano2274]

I was there in April (LHR Terminal 3) the new machines were there and operational, on the front of your passport at the bottom if there is a small rectangular box then you can use the new machines.

[NanLaew]

I was there in April (LHR Terminal 3) the new machines were there and operational, on the front of your passport at the bottom if there is a small rectangular box then you can use the new machines.

Thanks for that very recent update. I would assume that these are still open and working despite the backlog. Do you recall how many machines that had when you passed through?

[RabC]

I was there in April (LHR Terminal 3) the new machines were there and operational, on the front of your passport at the bottom if there is a small rectangular box then you can use the new machines.

Thanks for that very recent update. I would assume that these are still open and working despite the backlog. Do you recall how many machines that had when you passed through?

There was a report in The Times last week that because of peoples lack of familiarity with the machines the manual clearance was actually clearing two people to every one through the automatic gates.

[beano2274]

i think it was about 5 machines, but really did not take much notice of them.

[NanLaew]

I was there in April (LHR Terminal 3) the new machines were there and operational, on the front of your passport at the bottom if there is a small rectangular box then you can use the new machines.

Thanks for that very recent update. I would assume that these are still open and working despite the backlog. Do you recall how many machines that had when you passed through?

There was a report in The Times last week that because of peoples lack of familiarity with the machines the manual clearance was actually clearing two people to every one through the automatic gates.

Yes, I recall reading that as well. However, it can't be hard to enter the box, insert the passport and hum a little tune to yourself while it compares your face to the biometrics. I have seen the passport readers at Chang and KUL and local people fairly fly through but I am not sure if they use the same arcane biometrics that the UK adopted. It would be interesting if anyone who used the machines has information... maybe it is a slow process after all.

[RabC]

I had enrolled and used the Iris Scan booths before they were removed. It actually took longer than the manual check but there was never a queue so far quicker in the long run. From what I saw last time through Terminal 3 the queues were just as big for the biometric booths as for the manual check.

I will be flying there next week so will update my experience.

[mikey99]

I've used the ones at T5, T3 and birmingham airport several times and never had issues, just first time learning how to use it, but it is pretty straightforward. Never a large queue, if any.

IMHO much better than talking to one of the immigration officials.

[tw25rw]

Not yet at LCY unfortunately, but there probably isn't the space.

[RabC]

I've used the ones at T5, T3 and birmingham airport several times and never had issues, just first time learning how to use it, but it is pretty straightforward. Never a large queue, if any.

IMHO much better than talking to one of the immigration officials.

Good to hear. Thanks for the feedback.

[nontabury]

I used the new machines last month,at heathrow, very easy,one member of staff for about 3 machines, just to show you how to enter your passport,much quicker than the manual check.

[RabC]

Arrived last night at 18:40 on Tg flight into Terminal 3, the immigration hall was empty. 4 Passport Booths but for some reason they couldnt read my passport (yes it is a new chiiped one), was pointed towards an immigration official who is there to deal with these "teething" problems was through in 2 minutes.

[Captain Chaos]

I used the e-gates back in Feb. Arriving at T3 one early morning, they worked fine, and there was no Q whatsoever to use them (moderate Q at the EU manned desks). Had to make some regional flights on business in Europe - arriving back at T5 one Friday evening, would the e-gates work (with the same passport, obviously)? Would they bugger! I wasn't the only one having a problem and there were long Qs both for the e-gates and the manned desks.

Therein lies the problem, just not consistently reliable. Takes far longer for an average passenger to know what to do to resolve any problem than a professional immigration officer at a manned desk...

[tw25rw]

They didn't work for me either. I suspect the weight I put on alters the biometrics...

[Ricardo]

Passed through Terminal-4 recently, the Immigration queues were minimal, but there was a 30-minute wait for the bags to come off our flight.

On return, the T4 security-staff were doing their best to compete with the Indian airports, for unsmiling slow-scanning/searching !

[nong38]

I arrived in the UK from Dubai on the 3rd, arrived 30 mins early and passed through passport control in 15 minutes.

[NanLaew]

OK, as the OP it was finally my turn. THAI arrived 20 minutes early at T3 due to the tailwind. Bit of a walk from the gate but there was only about a dozen people already in the passport e-reader queue (3 machines). I noticed that pretty much every second passport ahead of me was getting red-lighted with the passenger being referred to the regular check desk. However, my passport had no issues and it took about 20 seconds while it compared my biometrics with the disheveled and tired-looking real thing and gave me a green light. I think the key is to insert your passport and TAKE YOUR HAND AWAY as some people were pressing down or still holding the passport in the slot and maybe they are moving the chipped page by tiny amounts while it is being read? There was no huge lineup at the regular desks and transfer to T5 and their security was fast. Next time I will book the 8.55am onward flight as there's no lounges available in T5 for those with oodles of miles and gold status on alternative airlines.

[RabC]

OK, as the OP it was finally my turn. THAI arrived 20 minutes early at T3 due to the tailwind. Bit of a walk from the gate but there was only about a dozen people already in the passport e-reader queue (3 machines). I noticed that pretty much every second passport ahead of me was getting red-lighted with the passenger being referred to the regular check desk. However, my passport had no issues and it took about 20 seconds while it compared my biometrics with the disheveled and tired-looking real thing and gave me a green light. I think the key is to insert your passport and TAKE YOUR HAND AWAY as some people were pressing down or still holding the passport in the slot and maybe they are moving the chipped page by tiny amounts while it is being read? There was no huge lineup at the regular desks and transfer to T5 and their security was fast. Next time I will book the 8.55am onward flight as there's no lounges available in T5 for those with oodles of miles and gold status on alternative airlines.

Ah Ha, I was holding my passport in place when it was rejected, will try the hands off approach next time cheers.