Nice airport letting foreign travellers use e-gates
Riviera destination is easing the checking process for Britons and Americans
E-gates are not permanently in operation at Nice airport
EQRoy/Shutterstock
British and American nationals travelling through Nice Côte d’Azur airport are being allowed to use e-gates, reducing queues to see an immigration officer under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES).
E-gate access applies to these travellers whether they are residents of France or are visitors, a Nice airport spokesman told The Connexion.
Travellers can scan their passport in the machine, which will also scan their face, and then pass through without speaking to a border agent or receiving a stamp in their passport.
A member of The Connexion team travelling with a British passport confirmed the process after using an e-gate, known in France as PARAFE (Passage Automatisé Rapide Aux Frontières Extérieures), when arriving and departing through Nice airport this month.
UK media report that, in addition, airport staff appear to be opening extra e-gates when British flights are scheduled, swapping signs above e-gates from EU to Autre Pays (other countries) or Tous Passeports (All Passports).
Note that the airport reports that the e-gates are not permanently in operation at Nice airport, and so some passengers may still have to wait to see immigration officers.
Some other airports with e-gates are also making them available to Britons and Americans now, though rules may vary.
A spokeswoman for Bordeaux airport said: “This is a recent change introduced to streamline border crossings for nationals of countries eligible for the PARAFE lanes.
“At this stage, the implementation details are still being rolled out depending on the specific circumstances and airports.”
It is often possible at Bordeaux, depending on the discretion of the border police, she said.
When contacted by The Connexion, the Aéroports de Paris group – that manages Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Orly – said queues had not generally been affected by the EES rollout.
“We still recommend that travellers arrive at the airport early. Allow two hours before departure for short-haul flights and three hours for long-haul flights,” it said.
As a reminder, EES checks are now required for non-EU/non-EEA/non-Swiss nationals who are entering or leaving the Schengen area and who do not live in it.
Although residency card holders do not need to register for EES because they live in the EU, they are usually required to use the non-EU passport queue at border points.
EES kiosks not yet up and running
In February this year, a Connexion reader reported being photographed and fingerprinted twice at Nice airport, on two separate journeys.
At the time, a Nice airport spokesperson said this “temporary procedure” was explained by EES self-registration kiosks not yet being operational.
This is still the case today, even following the wider rollout of EES.
Biometric registration machines are in place at Nice airport however they are still not in use due to a technical delay stemming from the company responsible for their installation, stated the Nice airport spokesman.
EES has flagged nearly 7,000 Schengen overstayers since its launch on October 12, 2025, according to the ‘2026 State of Schengen Report’ released by the European Commission on Monday (May 18).
Have you been able to use e-gates when travelling through an airport? Let us know at feedback@connexionfrance.com
