SmartGate

Last updated
SmartGate
SmartGate logo.jpg
SmartGateDeparturesSYD.jpg
SmartGate for departures at Sydney Airport, Australia
Type of projectElectronic border control system
CountryAustralia, New Zealand
Launched2007;17 years ago (2007) [1]
Brisbane Airport [2]
StatusActive

SmartGate (eGate in New Zealand) is an automated self-service border control system operated by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS) and located at immigration checkpoints in departure and arrival halls in ten Australian international airports, and 4 New Zealand international airports (as eGate). SmartGates allow Australian ePassport holders and ePassport holders of a number of other countries to clear immigration controls more rapidly, and to enhance travel security by performing passport control checks electronically. [3]

Contents

SmartGate uses facial recognition technology to verify the traveller's identity against the data stored in the chip in their biometric passport, as well as checking against immigration databases. To use the SmartGate system, the traveller must have a biometric passport from Australia, New Zealand or certain other countries (these ePassports have the biometric logo on the front cover). The ePassport gate scanner reads all the information contained in the chip inside the passport and runs the data against numerous databases to determine if the traveller is a security risk, while a camera takes a picture of the traveller and an officer at a control station behind the gates checks that the image captured by the camera matches the one on the passport (facial recognition). [4] Once the data verification and facial recognition process is complete, doors will automatically either open, signifying that the traveller is permitted to enter and/or exit the country, or remain closed and a stop icon illuminate, demonstrating that the traveller has failed the security checks and will personally meet with immigration officials.

Travellers require a biometric passport to use SmartGate as it uses information from the passport (such as photograph, name and date of birth) and in the respective countries' databases (i.e. banned travellers database) to decide whether to grant entry or departure from the country or to generate a referral to a customs agent. [5] These checks would otherwise require manual processing by a human, which is time-consuming, costly and potentially error-prone. [6]

History

The first trials of SmartGate began in 2002 with Qantas aircrews. [7] The trials were expanded in 2004 to include over 1,000 Qantas platinum frequent flyers, and in 2007 it was launched to the public at Brisbane Airport. [3]

Since October 2005, Australia has issued only biometric passports, called ePassports. As the validity of Australian passports do not exceed 10 years, all previous Australian passports have now expired and all valid passports are now biometric.

In May 2015, the Australian Government announced that SmartGate will be launched at air and sea ports, using solely biometrics to identify and process arriving passengers, with a goal of processing 90% of air travellers automatically by 2020. The introduction of biometric arrivals, under the Seamless Traveller initiative, is expected to cost approximately AU$93.7m over 5 years and be completed by March 2019.

Eligibility

Australia (SmartGates)

SmartGates are operated by the Australian Border Force and are available at various airports upon arrival and departure. The system requires travellers to look as much as their passport photo as possible, which may require removing accessories such as glasses, hats, or masks when using the SmartGate.

Requirements

Departing travellers, regardless of age and nationality, can use the SmartGates if they have an ePassport or machine-readable passport and can independently use the machine. [8] Arriving travellers must meet the following conditions: [9]

1 the Australian Border Force is trialling increased eligibility of passports and ages to allow more travellers to use the SmartGates as of 6 June 2024.

Exceptions

There are a number of notable exceptions when entering and departing Australia and using SmartGate. [9]

  • If airline crew meet the above requirements they are also eligible to use SmartGate or they may continue to use the "crew lane".
  • Australian and New Zealand citizens travelling on military orders may not use SmartGate upon arrival.
  • Australian children aged 10 to 15 years (inclusive) can use SmartGate upon arrival if they are accompanied by at least two adults.

Locations

In Australia, SmartGates are available at ten international airports:

New Zealand (eGates)

eGate uses biometrics to match the picture of your face in your ePassport with the picture it takes of you at the gate. To make sure eGate is able to do this, passengers must look as similar to their ePassport photo as possible. Passengers should avoid headwear (including veils, scarfs, and hats) that obscure the face. [10]

Requirements

Arriving and departing travellers, can use eGate if they have a machine-readable passport, are aged ten or over, can independently use the machine and have a passport of one of the eligible nationalities. Moreover, a New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) before reaching passport control. [11]

The following passport nationalities are eligible for New Zealand's eGate system.

Locations

In New Zealand, eGates are available at four international airports: [12]

Privacy issues

The SmartGate system collects personal information includes the information on the biometric page of the passport, such as name, gender, date of birth, passport number, passport photograph, nationality, and the country of origin of the passport. [9]

Other information may also be collected, such as travel details, and the facial biometric template. [9]

Travellers passports are not stamped if they are processed by SmartGate. If evidence of travel is required after using a SmartGate, the secondary manned counters must be approached by the traveller and a stamping request made.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Border control</span> Measures taken to regulate the movement of goods and people across borders

Border control comprises measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it also encompasses controls imposed on internal borders within a single state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Australia</span> Policy on permits required to enter Australia and its external territories

The visa policy of Australia deals with the requirements that a foreign national wishing to enter Australia must meet to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel, to enter and remain in the country. A visa may also entitle the visa holder to other privileges, such as a right to work, study, etc. and may be subject to conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore passport</span> Passport of the Republic of Singapore issued to Singapore citizens

The Singapore passport is a passport issued to citizens of the Republic of Singapore. It enables the bearer to exit and re-enter Singapore freely; travel to and from other countries in accordance with visa requirements; facilitates the process of securing assistance from Singapore consular officials abroad, if necessary; and requests protection for the bearer while abroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa requirements for Polish citizens</span> Administrative entry restrictions

Visa requirements for Polish citizens are public health and administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Poland.

A departure card, also known as an outgoing passenger card or embarkation card, is a legal document used by immigration authorities to provide passenger identification and an effective record of a person’s departure from certain countries. It also serves as a declaration in relation to health and character requirements for non-citizens entering a particular country. The departure card can come attached with its corresponding arrival card with the former being retained in the passport after passport control clearance. The card is then surrendered to passport control upon departure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arrival card</span> Border control document

An arrival card, also known as an incoming passenger card, landing card or disembarkation card, is a legal document used by immigration authorities of many countries to obtain information about an incoming passenger not provided by the passenger's passport and to provide a record of a person's entry into the country. The card may also provide information on health and character requirements for non-citizens entering the country. Some countries require an arrival card for each incoming passenger, while others require one card per family unit, and some only require an arrival card for non-citizens only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Entry</span> U.S. Customs and Border Protection program

Global Entry is a program of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service that allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to receive expedited clearance upon arrival into the United States through automatic kiosks at select airports and via the SENTRI and NEXUS lanes by land and sea. As of May 4, 2018, Global Entry was available at 53 U.S. airports and 15 preclearance locations. By April 2018 more than five million people were enrolled in Global Entry and approximately 50,000 new applications for the program were being filed each month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa requirements for French citizens</span> Administrative entry restrictions

Visa requirements for French citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of France.

Visa requirements for Bahamian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of The Bahamas. As of February 22nd 2024, Bahamian citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 156 countries and territories, ranking the Bahamian passport 27th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa requirements for Singapore citizens</span> Administrative entry restrictions

Visa requirements for Singapore citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states which are imposed on citizens of Singapore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa requirements for Tuvaluan citizens</span> Administrative entry restrictions

Visa requirements for Tuvaluan citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Tuvalu. As of 20 December 2020, Tuvaluan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 127 countries and territories, ranking the Tuvaluan passport 45th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.

Visa requirements for Tongan citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Tonga. As of 15 June 2024, Tongan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 131 countries and territories, ranking the Tongan passport 42nd in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visa policy of Singapore</span> Policy on permits required to enter Singapore

The visa policy of Singapore deals with the requirements a traveller must meet to enter Singapore. A foreign national, depending on their country of origin, must meet certain requirements to obtain a visa, which is a permit to travel, to enter and remain in the country. A visa may also entitle the visa holder to other privileges, such as a right to work, study, etc. and may be subject to conditions.

Biometrics refers to the automated recognition of individuals based on their biological and behavioral characteristics, not to be confused with statistical biometrics; which is used to analyse data in the biological sciences. Biometrics for the purposes of identification may involve DNA matching, facial recognition, fingerprints, retina and iris scanning, voice analysis, handwriting, gait, and even body odor.

ePassport gates Type of automated self-service barrier

ePassport gates are automated self-service barriers operated by the UK Border Force and located at immigration checkpoints in arrival halls in some airports across the UK and at the juxtaposed controls in international railway terminals abroad, offering an alternative to using desks staffed by immigration officers. The gates use facial recognition technology to verify the traveller's identity against the data stored in the chip in their biometric passport, as well as run the data against numerous databases to determine if the traveller is a security risk.

Visa requirements for Zimbabwean citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Zimbabwe. As of 2 July 2019, Zimbabwean citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 64 countries and territories, ranking the Zimbabwean passport 80th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.

Visa requirements for Sammarinese citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of San Marino. As of July 2023, San Marino citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 173 countries and territories, ranking the San Marino passport 19th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. Currently the San Marino passport is one of the four European "ordinary" passports to provide visa-free access to the People's Republic of China.

Many countries have entry restrictions on foreigners that go beyond the common requirement of having either a valid visa or a visa exemption. Such restrictions may be health related or impose additional documentation requirements on certain classes of people for diplomatic or political purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PARAFE</span> Passport verification system in France

PARAFE is a passport verification and border control system deployed in France and operated by French border guards. PARAFE consists of automated self-service gates, located at certain French border checkpoints and offer a faster alternative to manual checks at desks staffed by border guards. The gates use facial recognition technology to verify the user's identity against the data stored in the chip in their biometric passport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automated border control system</span> Type of automated self-service barrier

Automated border control systems (ABC) or eGates are automated self-service barriers which use data stored in a chip in biometric passports along with a photo or fingerprint taken at the time of entering the eGates to verify the passport holder's identity. Travellers undergo biometric verification using facial or iris recognition, fingerprints, or a combination of modalities. After the identification process is complete and the passport holder's identity is verified, a physical barrier such as a gate or turnstile opens to permit passage. If the passport holder's identification is not verified or if the system malfunctions, then the gate or turnstile does not open and an immigration officer will meet the person. E-gates came about in the early 2000s as an automated method of reading the then-newly ICAO mandated e-passports.

References

  1. ↑ "PM - Biometric 'Smartgate' system to be introduced to Australian airports". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  2. ↑ "Australian SmartGate trial extended to Singaporean e-passport holders". Future Travel Experience. 2014-03-20. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  3. 1 2 "New SmartGate aims to decrease airport queues" . Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  4. ↑ "Home Office delivery ofBrexit: immigration - Home Affairs Committee - House of Commons". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  5. ↑ "New Zealand Customs Service : How does SmartGate work?". www.customs.govt.nz. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  6. ↑ "Part 5: Processing passengers faster at airports — Office of the Auditor-General New Zealand". www.oag.govt.nz. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  7. ↑ "Roger Clarke's 'SmartGate'". www.rogerclarke.com. Retrieved 2017-01-15.
  8. ↑ "Departure SmartGates". Australian Border Force. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Arrivals SmartGates". www.abf.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
  10. ↑ "eGate". www.customs.govt.nz. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  11. ↑ "eGate". www.customs.govt.nz. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  12. ↑ Customs New Zealand, "eGate", Retrieved 11/8/2020
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.