Cancun, Quintana Roo — Airport operator Aeropuertos del Sureste (Asur) has confirmed the activation of 20 electronic gates, or E-Gates, at Cancun International Airport to streamline immigration processing ahead of an expected surge in travelers for the World Cup.
The E-Gates are automated control systems that use biometric technology to verify passports and traveler identities without direct human intervention. They speed up entry into the country by scanning documents and using facial recognition, a common feature at modern airports.
Authorities are working with the state government to eventually install a total of 40 E-Gates, with half operating in Terminal 3 and the rest in Terminal 4.
“We have been working for a long time to make the arrival of tourists more efficient, and today we are talking about 40 new E-Gates for passports from 35 nationalities, literally allowing entry into the country in seconds,” said Governor Mara Lezama.
While traditional immigration filters take an average of about 20 minutes to enter the country, the new technology is expected to reduce that to less than a minute, avoiding the long queues that have been a constant complaint from tourists and the business sector, which has urged better immigration service at the Cancun terminal.
Electronic gates first emerged in the early 2000s as an automated method for reading e-passports. Travelers must present their passport along with identification that validates the holder when passing through the gate. If any inconsistency is detected, the gate or turnstile will not open, and an immigration officer will assist the person.
Speeding up entry into the country is essential, as Cancun International Airport is expected to be the entry point for more than 40% of the five million tourists traveling to Mexico for the World Cup.
Key facts
- 20 E-Gates will be operational for World Cup traffic.
- Reduces entry time to under a minute.
- Two terminals with international flights have the technology.
- 35 nationalities will benefit upon arrival.
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