Using eGates with children

Family eGate rules are not universal. A child who is old enough to use an automated gate in one country may be too young in another, and some systems also apply height or adult-accompaniment rules. This guide compares the systems currently covered by eGate Checker so a family can decide whether to join the automated lane or go directly to staffed passport control.

Child eGate rules at a glance

The table is about the standard automated-border route, not entry permission. Visas, ETAs, residence status, document validity and local operational availability remain separate.

United Kingdom: children aged 8 and over

Since 8 July 2026, eligible children aged 8 and 9 can use UK eGates as well as older children. A child must be at least 120 cm tall, hold an eligible biometric passport and, between ages 8 and 17, travel with an adult. The change matters because a family with an eligible 8- or 9-year-old no longer automatically has to use the staffed lane just because of age.

The passport route still matters. A biometric passport by itself does not guarantee use of the gate, and most non-British or non-Irish travellers also need the appropriate digital immigration permission or status linked correctly before travel.

Practical family preparation for the UK

• Check every traveller separately. One family member being eligible does not make the whole group eligible.
• Measure a younger child if they are close to 120 cm; age alone is not enough.
• Remove passport covers before reaching the reader and have the photo page ready.
• If an adult and child have different surnames, Border Force may ask questions about the relationship. Carrying useful evidence can reduce delays.
• If a child is under 8, below the height minimum or otherwise ineligible, use staffed passport control.

Australia: arrivals are family-friendly from age 7

Australian Arrivals SmartGates currently allow travellers aged 7 and over who have an ePassport and are at least 1.1 m tall. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. This is an arrivals rule: Australian departure SmartGates use a different eligibility test, so families should not assume that the same conditions apply in both directions.

Arrivals use a two-step process. Travellers first use an arrival kiosk for passport and face verification, then proceed to a SmartGate for identity confirmation. A child travelling with two or more parents or guardians should, according to Australian Border Force guidance, be processed in the order parent/guardian one, child, parent/guardian two.

Do not forget the Incoming Passenger Card

SmartGate automates passport processing; it does not remove the other arrival formalities. Arriving passengers still need the required travel documents and Incoming Passenger Card, and border or biosecurity officers may ask questions after the automated step.

New Zealand: the minimum age is 10

New Zealand Customs allows eGate use from age 10 when the traveller has an ePassport from a currently eligible country or territory. eGates operate for both arrivals and departures at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown airports.

For arrivals, everyone must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration before reaching passport control. The declaration is checked automatically when the passport is scanned at the eGate or by a border officer. For departures, travellers should have both their passport and boarding pass ready.

New Zealand's system compares the live image of the traveller with the photograph stored in the ePassport. Customs advises travellers to look as similar to the passport photo as practical and avoid headwear that obscures the face.

What about Europe’s EES and children?

EES is a border-registration system, not a single Europe-wide eGate eligibility scheme. A child can be within EES scope even though a particular airport's automated lane has different age or document rules. Under current EES rules, children under 12 can still be registered in EES, but fingerprints are not scanned for that age group.

Some border crossings may offer self-service systems. Local eligibility for those systems is separate from the question of whether EES applies, so follow the instructions at the specific border crossing rather than treating EES as a Europe-wide eGate entitlement.

What should a family do if one person cannot use the gate?

Do not split the family just to save a few minutes unless border staff direct you to do so and the arrangement makes sense for your group. Automated gates are an optional processing route, not a right. If a child or adult is ineligible, cannot complete the process, needs assistance or is referred by the system, use the staffed route or follow the border officer's instructions.

For a family trip, the safest planning assumption is that the least eligible traveller determines how complicated the border process may be. Run the checker for the youngest child and for any traveller with a different passport, residence status or immigration permission.

Family checklist before travel

• Check the youngest traveller's age and, where relevant, height.
• Confirm that each passport is biometric/electronic where the system requires it.
• Check passport-issuer eligibility rather than assuming all family passports are treated the same.
• Confirm visas, ETA/eVisa or residence permissions separately from eGate eligibility.
• Complete destination-specific declarations before passport control where required.
• Keep passports out of protective covers and easy to reach.
• Be prepared for a staffed check even when everyone appears eligible.

Official references

Rules checked 15 September 2026. Always verify the linked authority before travel because eligibility and local gate availability can change.