Edinburgh Napier University

EGates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport and therefore the arrival process should be much quicker. 

In addition to UK, EU and EEA nationals who can already use eGates, from the launch date, nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America will also be able to use the eGates.  

• You cannot use eGates if you are travelling with children under 12
• You cannot use eGates if you are using a national ID card or passport which does not have a biometric chip
• You cannot use eGates if you are coming to the UK as a short-term student (coming for up to six months) and you need a stamp in your passport as you have not applied for entry clearance (a visa) before leaving your home country

Travelling via the Republic of Ireland

There is no problem if you have applied in your home country for a Student visa before travelling. Your entry clearance visa will not be date stamped on entry to the UK, but this is fine. You should keep evidence of your travel in case your date of entry ever becomes important or relevant. If you do travel and re-enter the UK later, for example after a short trip elsewhere in Europe (other than Ireland), your entry clearance will simply be date stamped on re-entry. 

If you have not obtained a visa before you travel, you must enter the UK through a UK port of entry. To avoid any difficulties with immigration control, it's our advice that you arrive directly to / in the UK and not via Republic of Ireland. In order to meet immigration control your passport needs to be stamped to confirm your entry to the UK.

If you do not meet UK immigration control on arrival, you will not be permitted to study in the UK.