e-gate

Meaning

An e-gate (electronic gate) is an automated barrier at passport control that uses biometrics (such as facial or fingerprint recognition) to verify a traveler's identity. It allows passengers with biometric passports to bypass long queues and clear customs quickly without speaking to an immigration officer.

Examples

• If you have a biometric passport, you can use the e-gate to skip the long queue.

  If you have a biometric passport, you can use the e-gate to skip the long queue.

• The e-gate wouldn't read my passport, so I had to go to the manual desk.

  The e-gate wouldn't read my passport, so I had to go to the manual desk.

• Please remove your hat and glasses before stepping up to the e-gate.

  Please remove your hat and glasses before stepping up to the e-gate.

• I love flying into London because the e-gate makes passport control so fast.

  I love flying into London because the e-gate makes passport control so fast.

• She was stopped at the e-gate because the facial recognition camera couldn't match her photo.

  She was stopped at the e-gate because the facial recognition camera couldn't match her photo.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I passed through the electronic door very quickly.

  ✓ I went through the e-gate very quickly.

  While 'electronic door' is descriptive, the specific and correct term used at international airports is 'e-gate'.

• ✗ You must stand in the e-gate until the screen says green.

  ✓ You must stand in the e-gate until the screen turns green.

  Colors on screens or lights do not 'say' a color; they 'turn' or 'go' green.

Related Expressions

Practice

• To use the ___, you need to place your passport photo page face down on the scanner.

  💡 The automated barrier at passport control.

  Show answer

  e-gate

• The line for the manual booths was huge, so I was glad I could use the ___.

  💡 The electronic passport barrier.

  Show answer

  e-gate