NZ Smartgate open to US and UK

[cambriamarsh]

HI, in the NZ Herald

New Zealand's new high-tech border control entry system has been opened up to travellers from the United States and the United Kingdom.
SmartGate uses information in ePassports and facial recognition technology for Customs and immigration checks.
It is already being used for travellers from New Zealand and Australia.
"Extending SmartGate to UK and US passengers on arrival will showcase New Zealand's high-tech border at the start of people's visit, instead of only when they leave, giving them a great first impression," Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said.


Does anyone know if NZers (and Aussies) can use the equivalent in the US or UK?

cheers

 

[serfty]

Oz and Kiwi residents can used the gates in Oz and NZ currently but nowhere else.

 

[cambriamarsh]

Sooner they fix that the better. LAX might become tolerable.

 

[jpk]

I wish AUS would put in exit smartgates like NZ has, would save so much time at immigration. I read there was a trial slated for BNE but it seemed nothing was happening quickly.
On an aside, wife who is British used her UK passport on MEL smartgate entry this week, good to see this added now.

 

[ryouns]

I flew to Auckland about three weeks ago and had a (apparently faulty) memory of a border control official telling me my UK passport could be used in the smart gates on a previous visit to NZ. I went through the gate (ignoring the clear signage in a very uncharacteristically rebellious way) and my passport worked perfectly. I presented the little card it spits out at customs and ended up waiting for ten minutes while they worked out how I had been able to get through - apparent I was the first person ever to try it. Turns out they had already modified the gates to accept UK passports but not officially. And nobody had told customs. Lucky they had a sense of humour I suppose.

 

[Airbumps]

I came into PER INTL this afternoon and had a UK holder next to me use Smartgate. The staff nearby walked him through its use. I was surprised it worked but sure enough, he past through without a hitch.

 

[Hvr]

Oz and Kiwi residents can used the gates in Oz and NZ currently but nowhere else.

And surely these benefits should only be introduced with a timeline for a reciprocal agreement in place?

 

[serfty]

And surely these benefits should only be introduced with a timeline for a reciprocal agreement in place?

In the USA they pay to register - "Global Entry" IIRC.

 

[rickylee]

Global Entry to the U.S. is available to U.S. residents, Canadian nationals (through NEXUS), Mexican nationals (through SENTRI), South Korean nationals, and Dutch nationals. The latter two happened through bilateral agreements between those countries and the U.S. I wish Australia would try to get a deal with the U.S. on this quickly so that missing flight connections at LAX or DFW isn't routine for so many.

 

[TomVexille]

Certain ports in the US like ORD now have an self serve immigration kiosk for US Passport holders. This is separate from Global Entry.

 

[marki]

Global Entry to the U.S. is available to U.S. residents, Canadian nationals (through NEXUS), Mexican nationals (through SENTRI), South Korean nationals, and Dutch nationals. The latter two happened through bilateral agreements between those countries and the U.S. I wish Australia would try to get a deal with the U.S. on this quickly so that missing flight connections at LAX or DFW isn't routine for so many.

I did not realise that so many lost connections but I did realise LAX being a long wait thru immigration

 

[rickylee]

For some reason, quite a few of the AA/QF codeshares of connecting flights out of LAX and DFW are timed within 60-90 minutes of the QF flight arriving from SYD, with the result that quite a few miss their connections. Almost every time I go through DFW (as I avoid LAX as the plague), I see anxious people trying to get through in time to make their connecting flights to ORD, for example, and fail.