As of March 11, 2019, nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States will be able to use the electronic passport control gates (E-gates) when they enter the UK. Currently, the E-gates are available to British and EU nationals 12 and older.
These travelers, who don’t already have a visa, will automatically be granted entry as a standard visitor for six months. The usual prohibition of employment and recourse to public funds will still apply.
Individuals traveling to the UK for the first time on a different type of visa, or who are seeking entry for a different purpose, should see an Immigration Officer to get the appropriate stamp.
The new system will make entry into the UK much quicker for people traveling on business or for tourism. The E-gates system checks against the Border Force systems and the restrictions for visitors remain the same whether travelers are stamped by an Immigration Officer or use an E-gate.