Passport control
Passport control
For all passengers not making a connecting flight your first step after arriving in the UK is passport control.
There are two separate queues for:
- European Union (EU)*, European Economic Area (EEA), British nationals and Swiss nationals
- all other nationalities.
At the passport desk a UK Border Agency officer will ask to see your passport or travel document and any supporting documentation necessary for your visit. Please remember that your passport must not expire during your visit.
For full details on entry requirements into the UK, visit the UK Border Agency website.
Want to speed up the process?
There are two additional options for getting through passport control more quickly:
E-borders
If you have one of the new style biometric passports (UK, EU or EEA), then you can get through passport control quickly by using the e-borders service. Simply go to the unmanned passport kiosk on arrival and scan your passport through the automated gate.
E-borders is currently available in North Terminal arrivals, but there are plans to extend it to the South Terminal. This service is for use by passengers aged 18 and over only.
IRIS
If you are a frequent traveller, read about IRIS, our automated barrier system which allows registered passengers to cross our border more quickly. Find out more about IRIS.
*EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
