LONDON (March 18) – British holidaymakers returning home may soon be able to bypass passport queues under a new government plan to introduce facial recognition technology at ports.
The advanced system, currently being trialed at four UK ports since November, uses high-powered cameras to match travelers’ faces with passport images and vehicle details stored in government databases. This would allow travelers to drive through “contactless corridors” without having to exit their vehicles, significantly reducing waiting times during peak travel periods.
How the System Works
Under the proposed system, travelers arriving in the UK by car would no longer need to hand their passports to Border Force officers. Instead, cameras would scan passengers’ faces through their windscreens and compare them with stored images. If the identity matches and no issues are detected, the vehicle would receive a green light to proceed.
An alternative option involves passengers briefly lowering their windows and looking into an iPad-like device for identity verification. Officials hope to expand the technology to maritime and rail routes, and eventually to airports.
Calls for Stronger Border Controls
Former Border Force chief Tony Smith has urged the government to introduce a “biometric entry/exit system” to enhance monitoring of those entering and leaving the country. He suggested that photographing travelers at entry and exit points would provide more accurate data than current methods, which rely on Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates.
Smith also highlighted concerns over the ongoing Channel migrant crisis and potential exploitation of visa system loopholes. Nearly 40,000 asylum claims have been linked to small boat arrivals, raising fears that many individuals may be entering the UK through other routes before applying for protection.
“All visa applicants are fingerprinted at the point of application, as are asylum seekers,” Smith noted. “If overseas posts are issuing visas to migrants who intend to claim asylum rather than work or study, this system could help detect and prevent such cases.”
Technology Developers Back the Initiative
The biometric security firm iProov, which is involved in the trials, said its facial comparison technology was designed to verify passengers inside their vehicles while linking their confirmed identity to the vehicle.
Andrew Bud, iProov’s founder and chief executive, stated: “By incorporating the latest identity verification technology, we aim to create a seamless and efficient experience for all passengers, without compromising speed or security.”
Government’s Stance
A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on specific equipment trials but reiterated the government’s commitment to using advanced technology to strengthen border security.
If successfully implemented, the new system could mark a major shift in how the UK processes travelers, offering a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional passport checks.
