When will the changes take place?
This page explains our timetable for putting the e-Borders programme into operation.
We will activate e-Borders in stages, to allow time for us to set up the necessary systems for transferring information between the government agencies involved and the vast number of carriers, transport operators, port authorities and individuals. Those who will be affected can be large organisations such as scheduled and charter airlines, ferry and cruise ships, and through-tunnel rail operators. They can also be small or independent carriers for example fishing boats, working shipping vessels, business and cargo charter flights and the individual leisure yachting and private aircraft pilots.
You can find the specific e-Borders requirements for these groups in e-Borders requirements for carriers and ports.
The timetable is:
- October 2008: initial activation of e-Borders to start collecting information from carriers;
- after July 2009: the e-Borders operations centre (EBOC) starts operating, enabling us to create travel histories for passengers;
- December 2009: e-Borders aims to collect details of 60% of all international passengers and crews from a range of carriers and to check that 60% against lists of people who are of interest to authorities;
- December 2010: e-Borders aims to collect details of 95% of passengers and crews;
- April 2011: we start to activate modernised entry methods at our ports;
- July 2012: improvements including an ability to give clearance to passengers who are already on a train;
- March 2014: e-Borders is fully operational, covering all international travellers using all our ports, including matching passengers' arrivals to their departures.
Terms explained
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Carrier
A person or organisation that transports passengers or goods in and out of the United Kingdom.