Passengers from the United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea can now use the automated eGATE border control system at Václav Havel Airport in Prague.

The gates opened to these new groups on Friday, May 15th, marking a significant broadening of a system that had previously been restricted to citizens of EU and European Economic Area countries, as well as Switzerland.

To use the gates, travellers must be 15 years of age or older and carry a biometric passport. The service is available only on departures outside the Schengen area.

The move follows the launch of the Entry/Exit System — known as EES — across the European Union in April. Czech authorities say an earlier rollout was technically impossible.

The EES, which tracks the movement of non-EU nationals crossing external Schengen borders, required technical adjustments to the airport’s existing automated gate infrastructure before third-country nationals could be admitted to the system.

Ahead of a Record-Breaking Summer

Prague Airport is approaching 20 million passengers annually, a figure that grows each year. The eGATE expansion is being rolled out deliberately ahead of peak season, when passenger numbers surge and pressure on passport control intensifies.

Martin Kučera, board member responsible for operations and security at Prague Airport, said the upgrade has already informed how the airport is planning its summer setup.

“We have already reflected the experience from the first months of operation of the EES system in the organisation of summer operations and the setting of capacities in the passport control area,” he said.

“We see the expansion of the use of eGATE to other groups of passengers as an important step towards faster and more comfortable check-in while maintaining all security standards.”

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