UK Tourists To Portugal: Fast Track Entry Just Like EU Citizens

British holidaymakers visiting Portugal are to be treated the same as EU citizens after Portuguese authorities remove Brexit restrictions and treat UK visitors under the same conditions as those from the European Union (EU).

The new rules mean that travellers from the United Kingdom will no longer be treated as third-country nationals as required under Brexit.

Under EU Brexit legislation, the UK is treated as a third country, but individual states can use their own rules regarding travel.

A very welcome and sensible decision by Portugal to allow travellers from the UK to use e-gates.

It's worth pointing out, perhaps, that we already allow *all* EU travellers to use our e-gates when arriving in the UK. https://t.co/jicnK25Lrk
— David Frost (@DavidGHFrost) April 22, 2022

Brits Not Third Country Nationals in Portugal

Portugal is the first country to abandon the EU Brexit rules of manual checks for UK citizens.

The UK is treated as a “third country” by the EU under legislation since Brexit was introduced, but EU countries are permitted to use their own rules regarding travel.

British nationals entering Portugal with e-passports will be able to avoid long queues for manual immigration and passport checks by using the e-gate channel.

Portugal's Foreigners and Border Service (SEF) said it had opened four new-generation e-gates at Lisbon Airport with similar facilities at Faro, Porto, and Funchal airports. Nationals from Australia, Japan, Singapore, and New Zealand will also be allowed to use the automatic system.

SEF says that the new e-gates have a faster and more functional operating system. This means passengers' biometric data is read more quickly, and they are on their way sooner.

Other EU countries that depend on UK tourists, including Spain, may see the benefits and follow Portugal to help get their tourism businesses moving again. Previously, officials of Valencia, Spain had called to extend the 90-day rule for British citizens visiting Spain.

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