4 days ago
Another European country to allow Brits to use much faster airport e-gates
GERMANY will let UK passport holders use e-gates at its airports this summer.
It has been announced that some travellers will be allowed to use the automatic gates rather than go through lengthy passport control from August.
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In July, the Cabinet Office announced that Germany will allow some UK airline passengers to use passport e-gates at its airports by the end of August.
But the use of e-gates for all UK passengers will be possible once Germany has completed updates to its entry systems.
This is part of the introduction of the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) that was first proposed in 2016 - and is expected to be implemented in October 2025.
The deal to let some passengers use the e-gates forms part of a treaty signed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Since Brexit, UK travellers arriving at EU airports have generally been forced to queue for manned desks to have their passports stamped rather than use the automated gates.
The result has led to frustrated passengers and generally long queues - especially during the busy summer holidays.
The issue has been described as one of the most visible impacts of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "E-gates can make the slog of travelling through an airport that bit easier, which is why I have been working with the EU and member states to get more airports opened up to Brits abroad.
"With £30 billion of services trade between the UK and the EU, this agreement isn't just good for holidaymakers, it's good for British businesses too, making travelling easier between Europe 's biggest economies, to get deals done and boost growth."
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However, more and more countries have allowed Brits to use e-gates since Brexit in 2020.
As of this year, 48 locations, including some major European airports, have allowed those with UK passports to enter the country through e-gates.
In June 2025, Sofia Airport in Bulgaria announced it would be allowing Brits to use the automatic gates.
Faro Airport, which connects the UK with the Algarve, also made the announcement in spring 2025.
Not only has Sofia followed suit, Tallinn in Estonia confirmed they would also remove the e-gate ban for Brits from next year.
Here's more on the new airport rules to make travelling to Europe MUCH easier – what Starmer's new Brexit deal means for your holiday.
But here's a recent blow to .
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