The big change just announced for Australian passport holders
<p>Australian passports holders planning a trip to the UK can expect for their journey to become a lot less stressful.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond revealed that Aussie travellers will be given permission to use electronic passport gates at all UK airports.</p>
<p>While making a UK Budget speech, he said: “We’ll open the use of e-passport gates at Heathrow and other airports, currently only available to EEA nationals to include visitors from the US, <span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit !important;">Canada</span>, <span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit !important;">New Zealand</span>, Australia and <span style="font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit !important;">Japan</span>.”</p>
<p>Previously, only EU citizens were given the privilege of using the electronic passport gates but in the lead-up to Brexit, the British government is changing its border policy for non-EU travellers.</p>
<p>The electronic passport, also known as the ePassport, refers to an embedded electronic microprocessor chip used to authenticate the passport holder’s identity.</p>
<p>Reportedly the privilege will be available to the five countries in the middle of 2019.</p>
<p>Chief executive of Airlines UK, Tim Alderslade, says he “welcomes the move”.</p>
<p>“As passenger numbers continue to rise, UK Border Force must be adequately resourced and adopt new approaches in order to prevent a repeat of last summer, where lengthy border queues were experienced at a number of UK airports,” he told <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/108205257/new-zealanders-granted-right-to-fasttrack-at-uk-airports"><em style="font-weight: inherit;">Stuff</em></a>.</p>
<p>“This announcement is a welcome step in the right direction, enabling millions more travellers to be processed more quickly.”</p>
<p>There are currently 250 e-passport gates at 22 air and rail ports across the UK.</p>
<p>Are you planning a trip to the UK? Let us know in the comments below. </p>
