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Major European holiday destination now lets Brits use e-gates to avoid long passport queues

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UK passport holders can now skip lengthy waits to get their documents stamped at the airport in Sofia, Bulgaria by using the e-gates system as part of the new deal EU-UK deal

British passport holders have faced long waits since Brexit
British passport holders have faced long waits since Brexit(Image: Getty)

Holidaymakers heading to Bulgaria will be able to avoid nightmare queues this summer as e-gates are rolled out to Brits.

UK passport holders can now skip lengthy waits to get their documents stamped at the airport in Sofia by using the quicker e-gates system. Last year, nearly half a million Brits visited the popular holiday destination.

It comes after Keir Starmer sealed a deal with the EU last month, which agreed there would be no legal barriers to allowing British travellers to use e-gates abroad.

Since Brexit, UK passport holders have generally had to queue for manual checks at border control. But under the pact, the EU has agreed to ease checks universally on British travellers.

EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told the Mirror: “Today’s eGates win is great news for Brits travelling to the EU – and a clear sign of the Government’s pragmatic reset of our relationship with Brussels and European capitals.”

READ MORE: Keir Starmer hails ‘common sense’ deal with EU as a ‘win-win’ – with boosts for shoppers and tourists

EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds trying out the e-gates in Sofia
EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds trying out the e-gates in Sofia

Faro Airport, in Portugal, was the first to start the rollout last month, with cities like Paris, Lisbon and Rome following suit. More countries are set to follow suit, with Tallin, in Estonia pencilled in for next year.

The Government has faced criticism over the pace of the rollout of e-gates after the Prime Minister initially said it would apply immediately.

However the EU plans to launch its new Entry/Exit System (EES) in October 2025, which will scrap the requirement for non-EU citizens to have their passports stamped.

It is thought that more European airports will allow Brits to use the e-gates after this new system is brought in.

The full list of airports with confirmed e-gate access

  1. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
  2. Paris Orly Airport
  3. Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
  4. EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg
  5. Marseille Provence Airport
  6. Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport
  7. Nice Airport
  8. Eurostar Paris Gare du Nord Terminal
  9. Eurostar London St Pancras Terminal
  10. Eurotunnel Folkestone Terminal
  11. Eurotunnel Calais Terminal
  12. Port of Calais
  13. Alicante
  14. Mallorca
  15. Tenerife
  16. Lanzarote Egates
  17. Gran Canaria
  18. Ibiza
  19. Naples Airport
  20. Rome Fiumicino Airport
  21. Rome Ciampino Airport
  22. Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport
  23. Venice Marco Polo Airport
  24. Cagliari Airport
  25. Milan Malpensa Airport
  26. Milan Linate Airport
  27. Bari Airport
  28. Brindisi Airport
  29. Bergamo Airport
  30. Treviso Airport
  31. Verona Villafranca Airport
  32. Florence Airport
  33. Pisa International Airport
  34. Turin Airport
  35. Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport
  36. Catania Airport
  37. Palermo Airport
  38. Lisbon Airport Terminal 1
  39. Faro Airport
  40. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (exit only)
  41. Larnaca International Airport
  42. Paphos International Airport
  43. Brussels airport
  44. Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport
  45. Dublin airport
  46. Prague airport Terminal 1
  47. Helsinki airport

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