Can you use a passport cover at immigration or an eGate?
Carry it in a cover, and take it out at the desk. Here is why, and a routine that saves you time.
The short answer
Yes, you can carry your passport in a cover through the airport. At passport control, take it out and hand over the passport on its own. Take it out before you use an eGate too, because the gates often cannot read a passport that is still in its cover.
In this guide4 parts
Why officers ask you to take it off
An immigration officer needs to see the whole passport, not only the photo page. A cover hides the outside of the passport, which makes it harder to check for damage or tampering, so many officers will ask you to remove it. If you do it before you reach the desk, you save time for yourself and for the queue behind you.
eGates and covers
Automatic passport gates scan the photo page and read the chip in your passport. The UK Government lists leaving your passport in its cover as one of the reasons people fail to get through eGates. Border staff at Amsterdam Schiphol and London Stansted give the same instruction: take the passport out of its cover before you use the gate.
Not everyone can use eGates. In the UK they are open to British passport holders and to travellers from a set list of other countries. If you are not sure whether your passport qualifies, check GOV.UK before you travel or join the queue for a staffed desk.
A routine that works
- Keep the passport in its cover through check-in and security, where it stays clean and easy to find in your bag.
- Take it out of the cover as you join the immigration queue.
- Put the empty cover in a pocket or your bag, not on the counter, so you do not leave it behind.
- Once you are through, put the passport back in.
A cover with your name on it is easy to spot in a crowded bag and hard to mix up with a travel companion's. For a lot of people, that alone is the reason to have one.
So is a passport cover worth having?
Yes, for what it does between the desks. It protects the passport from bends, scuffs and spills in a handbag or backpack, and that matters, because damage such as a torn cover or water stains can mean replacing the passport. Just expect to take it off at passport control.
If you want to know how to keep a cover in good shape, read our care guide.
Questions people ask
Is it allowed to use a passport cover when travelling?
Yes. You can carry your passport in a cover. You will usually be asked to take it out at passport control.
Why won't the eGate read my passport?
A common reason is that the passport is still in its cover. Take it out and place the photo page flat on the reader.
Should I take my passport out of its cover at check-in?
Airline staff often ask you to. It only takes a second, so have it ready to slip out.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Reasons you may not get through ePassport gates
- UK eGate guidance
- Royal Netherlands Marechaussee: Self-service passport control
- London Stansted: Passport control
- GOV.UK: Replace a damaged passport
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