Major UK border rule change announced from this summer affecting up to 1.5 million children

Families with children aged eight and nine will be able to use e-gates at UK airports from this summer, the Home Office has announced.

Under current rules, passengers aged under 10 are banned from using the gates, meaning many families have to queue at passport booths instead. But from July 8, access will be expanded to include younger children.

The gates use facial recognition technology to check passengers' identities against the photo in their passport, which is generally quicker than manual inspections.

What are the rules for children?

Children must be at least 120cm tall so they can be seen by the biometric scanners, and they must be accompanied by an adult.

The Government says lowering the minimum age means up to 1.5 million additional children will be able to use e-gates.

Where does the change apply?

There are nearly 300 e-gates in the UK. The change will come into effect at the 13 UK airports with e-gates, as well as at ports in Brussels and Paris, where juxtaposed border checks take place.

What have officials said?

Migration minister Mike Tapp said more families would "experience a swifter and smoother journey home" this summer.

Border Force director-general Phil Douglas said increasing access to e-gates enabled "highly skilled officers to focus on intercepting those who pose a threat to the UK."

Who can use e-gates?

UK e-gates are available to British citizens as well as nationals from the European Union, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States. They can also be used by members of the registered traveller service.