UK IMMIGRATION NEWS

Trial for Automated Border Clearance System begins

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

In response to the increase security at the UK Airports to prevent illegal entry, the Border and Immigration Agency have started a trial of an automated border control system.

This automated Border Clearance is currently being trialled at Manchester Airport in a new attempt to enhance security and reduce the time that passengers spend in queues.

The system provided by Fujitsu Services in partnership with Vision-Box S A, allows passengers holding electronic passports and arriving through Terminal 1 at Manchester airport to fast-track through immigration with no prior registration.

The automated system combines the operation of reading and checking electronic passports with an innovative feature for assessing the biometric data required to open the gates. Both of these checks are integrated into the UK's existing border control systems to ensure integrity of the border is maintained.

By using advanced facial recognition algorithms and intelligent sensor technology the system guides passengers through the 'smart gates' - alleviating pressure on queue times and improving the overall passenger arrival experience.

Passengers with new electronic passports will be able to utilise the system at Manchester Airport Terminal 1 as a fast track through immigration without the need for pre-registration.

Eithne Wallis CB, managing director, Government Business, Fujitsu Services, commented: "Trials of this nature are a hugely exciting prospect for UK ports of entry. Border control is an issue close to everyone's heart and the ability to combine speed and throughput of passengers with the highest integrity of border control will change the travel experience as we know it. This really is a ground-breaking trial".

The UK Border Agency indicated that the new automated system manages to easily combine reading and checking of electronic passports with assessment of biometric data.

Further trials are soon planned to enable UK airports to cope with the increasing quantities of passengers while also maintaining optimum levels of border security. Miguel Leitmann, senior vice president of Vision-Box S A, added: "Identity matters and increased electronic integration within automated control systems, like the simple use of an electronic passport checked at an automated clearance gate, depends highly on the speed of interaction with the passenger, while providing an efficient tool to cope with the increasing throughput of travellers, maintaining the existing high security levels at the border."

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