Children from the age of eight returning to the UK can use e-gates at airports and other re-entry points from today (8 July).
The Home Office confirmed the change, which lowers the minimum age for e-gate use from 10.
Children must be at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall to be seen by the biometric scanners and must be accompanied by an adult.
Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said: “Today’s change will make journeys easier for families with small children and reduce the hassle of travelling home after a holiday.
“It will also free up more time for tourists to enjoy our fantastic country this summer and in the years ahead.”
E-gates are installed across 13 airports in the UK: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted.
The gates are also available in Eurostar terminals in Brussels and Paris.
