Countries
The United Kingdom Opens Its Electronic Passport Gates To More Nationalities
Updated: May 20 & June 4, 2019Per an official statement, the electronic gates are open to citizens of the seven countries listed starting May 20. On June 4, our editors were able to independently verify that this was in effect at London Gatwick Airport (LGW), where customs officers were actively redirecting qualifying passengers toward the ePassport gates.
One Mile at a Time recently reported this fortuitous change in the UK’s immigration process: Starting June 2019, the automated e-gates at immigration in all UK airports will be available to passport holders from seven new countries, including the U.S.
The countries included on the list are:
- Australia
- Canada
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United States
It is already available to UK, EU, EEA or Swiss passports. It is not known if the new countries will kick in on June 1, or sometime later during the month of June.
Essentially, this means these citizens are now eligible to use the ePassport gates, which use biometric scanning and a camera to get through immigration instead of speaking to a live, customs officer.
Though the UK has a Registered Traveller program through which select passport holders were able to use these (for a cost, like a whopping £70 or $88.28 USD per year), that simply won’t be the case anymore.
(Portugal already offers this service to electronic passport holders, and I was able to use this recently while exiting the country. Hong Kong also offers this to its residents. I’d love to see more and more countries begin to offer this, instead of jumping in a ginormous, inefficient line.)
Probably a countermeasure against Brexit, or something.
The Quick Lowdown on Portugal
This post is brought to you by Visit Portugal.
Everyone has heard it, time after time. Portugal is amazing. But what they often to fail to tell you is what that really means.
Experiencing the Andaman Sea on a Tall Ship Under Full Sail
Editor’s NoteThe world is a big, wondrous place. One of the reasons we want to make sure you get there is so that the lesser known parts of the world can peek through in its unassuming glory. Our friend, and former Travel + Leisure editor, Mark Orwoll, sends us this postcard, reminding us that the world is to be explored, in its fullest sense.
Don’t bring “meatpig” onto Ko Panyi, a floating fisherman’s village, or you’ll be fined $63. The penalty for bringing alcohol onto this strictly Muslim island is even more severe: $158—plus one goat.
The Number of Countries Younger Than You Is Astounding
Swirled recently declared that there have been more new countries created longer than you’ve been alive. Technically, though, that depends on how long you’ve been alive.
The Quick Lowdown to Japan
This sponsored post is brought to you by the Japan National Tourism Organization.
The beauty to Japan is that there is always more than what meets the eye. It’s a country that can be experienced completely differently each time, multiple times.
How To Get Compensated for Flight Delays
This sponsored post is brought to you by airFair.
Stating the obvious here: Sitting at the airport for twelve hours is a nightmare.
Should Destination Suggestions Be Taken With a Grain of Salt?
Right around this time of year, everyone from The New York Times to AFAR puts out their annual guide on where to go, what’s hot and what’s not. (Beautiful photography included, of course.)
The Wettest Place on Earth (and How To Get There)
It’s a certain type of person who wants to visit the wettest place on earth. Maybe the Pacific Northwest was just a bit too arid for their liking. Or maybe a week-long trip to the Atacama left their skin drier than… well, the Atacama.
The Highest City on Earth (and How To Get There)
Last year was the warmest on record by far (and that’s been the case for awhile now). If you’re looking to get as far away as possible from rising tides, look no further than the highest city on earth.
But be warned: this is not a tourist destination. Life gets tough on the edge of the earth.
Is Mercer’s Ranking for Best Expat Cities Questionable?
Thinking of moving abroad? Consulting firm Mercer just released their annual list of best cities for expats.
The Quick Lowdown to Iceland
Don’t wait to cross the northern lights off that bucket list. They’re soon set to dim for up to a decade.
Touring Spain From a Completely Different Viewpoint
This sponsored post is brought to you by Tourspain.
Tourspain has recently released a set of virtual reality glasses that lets travelers explore all that Spain has to offer. (I’m still waiting for the moment someone can send some paella through the computer.)
