Overview

• Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas‑Symonds confirmed on June 4 that Faro Airport has begun allowing British passport holders to use e‑gates under the UK‑EU border deal.
• The move is expected to reduce manual passport checks and shorten queues for the millions of UK nationals travelling to the Algarve this summer.
• The agreement removes legal barriers for UK nationals to use e‑gates across the EU once the new Entry/Exit System launches in October 2025.
• Under the Entry/Exit System, non‑EU travellers will register biometric data including fingerprints and a photograph for stamp‑free crossings.
• Downing Street says talks are underway with additional EU member states to expand e‑gate access for British arrivals beyond Portugal.