New Australian Smartgates

henrus

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Anyone else tried the new smart gates in Brisbane arrivals?

About a month ago the old smart gates in Brisbane arrivals were replaced by new ones where you first take a photo at the kiosk and then when you walk up to the gate just stare at the screen.

The kiosks are new and improved where you first scan your passport and then look at the camera for a photo, the standard questions get asked but this time instead of the ticket it now prints out a receipt (size of something you'd get from the supermarket) with the photo it just took printed black and white plus your name/passport number etc.

Then the old gates where you walk up and insert the ticket are gone and instead it's just a smaller gate (looks more like something at a train station) is in it's place where you just stand on a red line and stare at the screen (no more inserting the ticket). Once matched the gate opens and you walk through.

I asked the staff and they said Brisbane is the only airport so far (as they're aware) so I wonder if the plan is for a wider roll out of if this is just a trial. I couldn't find many media articles either which is surprising given the gov often publishes press releases or invites channel 7/9 along to show off the new streamlined processes.

 
it now prints out a receipt (size of something you'd get from the supermarket) with the photo it just took printed black and white plus your name/passport number etc.

Sounds like an identity thief's dream to pick up a lost receipt.

The unnecessary creation of an additional copy of extremely valuable personal data is fraught with danger.

And if collected by Border Force then they would need very strict handling and reconciliation processes to ensure they aren't lost/mishandled.
 
Pre COVID, The machines at LAX did something simular, except you still had to be "interviewed".

After a long transpac flight, those images were kot not very flattering.o_O
 
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After a long transpac flight, those images were kot very flattering.o_O

I once had a time where for some reason the SmartGate didn't work so had to have a manual check done.
As the officer was looking at me and my passport I commented "not sure why there's a problem, I'm just as ugly as when I left the country".

The female officer could barely avoiding laughing as she waved me through.
 
I once had a time where for some reason the SmartGate didn't work so had to have a manual check done.
As the officer was looking at me and my passport I commented "not sure why there's a problem, I'm just as ugly as when I left the country".

The female officer could barely avoiding laughing as she waved me through.
An over enthusiastic Dutch border officer gave one of my “smart” PPs a hefty thump with the arrival stamp near the smart chip page. That PP never worked again arriving back in Oz nor departing the next time. So I had to replace it - not a cheap exercise. Apparently product warranty / fitness for purpose is a foreign concept to the PP office….
 
An over enthusiastic Dutch border officer gave one of my “smart” PPs a hefty thump with the arrival stamp near the smart chip page. That PP never worked again arriving back in Oz nor departing the next time. So I had to replace it - not a cheap exercise. Apparently product warranty / fitness for purpose is a foreign concept to the PP office….
How many years after issuance did it fail? Although I’m sure they think that they are, the passport office (DFAT?) is not immune to consumer laws so I wonder if you have a case under Consumer Law for a free replacement?

Or do a chargeback on the reissued passport and keep us informed of your adventures :)
 
An over enthusiastic Dutch border officer gave one of my “smart” PPs a hefty thump with the arrival stamp near the smart chip page. That PP never worked again arriving back in Oz nor departing the next time. So I had to replace it - not a cheap exercise. Apparently product warranty / fitness for purpose is a foreign concept to the PP office….
Not the first time I have heard this happening, unfortunately.
 
How many years after issuance did it fail? Although I’m sure they think that they are, the passport office (DFAT?) is not immune to consumer laws so I wonder if you have a case under Consumer Law for a free replacement?

Or do a chargeback on the reissued passport and keep us informed of your adventures :)
Alas, this was a couple of years ago (in fact must have been over 10 yrs since I got a brand new one just before Covid 😩). But yeah, some good suggestions there. It was a fairly new at the time so it was a “replacement” fee of some sort not a new passport fee - but still… The replacement had a new number but same exp date!
 
An over enthusiastic Dutch border officer gave one of my “smart” PPs a hefty thump with the arrival stamp near the smart chip page. That PP never worked again arriving back in Oz nor departing the next time. So I had to replace it - not a cheap exercise. Apparently product warranty / fitness for purpose is a foreign concept to the PP office….

Was that a P series? I assume so since everything I've seen seems to imply the chip is on one of the middle pages.

On the R series, the polycarbonate first page has the chip in it, same as New Zealand's passports. It's pretty solid.
 
The kiosks are new and improved where you first scan your passport and then look at the camera for a photo, the standard questions get asked but this time instead of the ticket it now prints out a receipt (size of something you'd get from the supermarket) with the photo it just took printed black and white plus your name/passport number etc.

Sounds like machines I used at ?MIA a few years ago. Pretty good there (compared to usual experience!!) - dealt with a B1/B2 visa no problem; finally gave the ticket up at customs IIRC.
 
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