Cyprus airports to replace passport scanners with e-gates

Local airportsLarnaca AirportPaphos AirporttechnologyTop News Cyprus airports to replace passport scanners with e-gates 37582458250 D3d9bc76e4 B Relevant News Occupied Kyrenia tightens security after attempted assault on girl 22 August 2026 Swedish police probe online networks after teenage girl killed in school sword attack 22 August 2026 Iran grants permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through Hormuz 22 August 2026 newsroom 22 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus has ordered 40 state-of-the-art Automated Border Control (ABC) Gates for its two airports, Justice and Public Order Minister Costas Fytiris said, as authorities prepare for the EU’s new Entry-Exit System and a full overhaul of passport control equipment. The gates are expected to arrive by the end of this year and be installed in the passenger halls of both airports as soon as possible, Fytiris said in a written parliamentary reply dated August 11. DISY MP Giorgos Pamporidis had asked the minister about the effectiveness of the current control system at the two airports, and about passengers being referred to a police officer for a further check even after using the automated system. In his reply, Fytiris explained that Cyprus’s Interactive Kiosks will stop operating once Cyprus joins the Schengen area and internal border checks are lifted. He said the kiosks were originally chosen over ABC Gates because of a comparison of the technology available at the time, mainly due to their speed and smaller size given space constraints in passenger halls. There was, he added, “no connection to Cyprus not yet fully applying the Schengen acquis.” The kiosks are self-service systems used to collect and process passenger data, including reading passports, taking photographs and carrying out various additional checks, Fytiris explained. However, a passport control officer’s intervention is still required after the kiosk process, to verify the traveller’s identity, check the travel document and take the final decision on entry or exit. ABC Gates, by contrast, are fully automated border control systems that also use biometric technology, he noted. The kiosks are considered particularly effective when staffing is reduced, since they help improve service for passengers and make better use of available human resources, he added. Fytiris said that in 2025, 65.60% of passport checks carried out via the kiosks were flagged with a “PG” (Passenger Granted) referral code, which corresponds to a non-positive indication. A further 13.00% were flagged with an “MI” (Minor) code, which he said gives passport control officers important information and saves time in confirming that a minor is travelling accompanied by a parent or guardian, for the purpose of preventing parental abduction and other related serious offences. The remaining 21.40% required further checks due to positive indications, arising from automated checks against national and European databases, security checks, and additional checks carried out under established procedures before officers reach a final decision. Responding to a separate question from Pamporidis, the minister said Frontex Standing Corps staff serving at the airports were deployed at the Republic’s request under EU Regulation 2019/1896, and operate under the command of Cyprus Police’s Aliens and Immigration Unit. He explained that Frontex border guards carry out checks at posts assigned by the duty officer, like the rest of the Aliens and Immigration Unit’s staff, including checking printed receipts issued by the kiosks. While Frontex Standing Corps members hold executive powers under the regulation, he said, they come under the orders of national authorities once deployed. Specifically, they carry out duties as immigration officers, in passport control, checking the authenticity of travel documents, and conducting secondary checks under the instructions of the duty officer at the Passport Control Centre, who holds final responsibility for border control. On another question, Fytiris said the possibility of an electronic scanning system for kiosk receipts, using QR codes read via e-Gates placed after the kiosks, had been examined but was not approved, as it would have slowed down overall passport processing times. With the upcoming installation of the ABC Gates, the use of the kiosks and which categories of traveller they serve will be reviewed by the relevant ministries involved, to determine the best framework for their use. “Until the abolition of internal border checks, when they will be withdrawn,” he said. (Information from Cyprus News Agency) Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Occupied Kyrenia tightens security after attempted assault on girl Swedish police probe online networks after teenage girl killed in school sword attack Iran grants permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through Hormuz Things to do on Saturday, August 23 Nicosia awaits extradition of Lithuanian estate agent over Cyprus property fraud 14-year-old in serious but stable condition after scooter crash Continuing to drive may have saved Ayia Napa shooting victim, police say Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.