Noticed on this trip that there is a special immigration program which allows you entry into the UK without speaking to an immigration guard. I think this is in Terminal 2.

You line up and then go into this little booth and stare like a maniac into a lens. Then it says (in a loud robotic voice) "Move closer" or "Move down" over and over again until it tells you that your eyes can not be scanned and tells you to go all the way to the back of the regular entry queue(!).

..or at least that is what happened to a number of people I saw that day.

It was comically pathetic.

Lots of info about IRIS in the BA Forum. More at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ma...chnology/iris/

It's not just at LHR T2, it's at all five LHR terminals and also LGW North and South, MAN T1 and T2 and BHX T1.

The experience you report is not typical. I've used it dozens of times and been rejected once. Sometimes non-registered pax try and fail, and that's not helpful to those waiting.

It is free of charge and available to all travellers with no immigration status restrictions, unlike Clear in the US and some other programmes. You need to register when departing from one of the listed airports. In the future, it may be replaced by face recognition sytems, but only when CHIP-enabled passports become more widely available.

As somebody who used to have an INSPASS card which is no longer available, I wish the US had something similar.

It's what the US system SHOULD be for US citizens. No need for interviews, extensive criminal checks, denial of US Passport holders/citizens with 30+ year old misdemeanor records or expungements and no other offenses of any kind, etc. etc. You're eligible for entry, you can apply for the Iris scan.

I've never had trouble at LHR, but the last time through Gatwick a few weeks ago it wouldn't recognize me (2 weeks prior it worked fine at T3 of LHR). That was just the first of a series of issues at LGW that trip (the worst was with their version of the line/baggage sizing dragons, but that's a whole 'nother story).

Funny that the UK Iris system works fine, but Clear could never read my irises so I'm set up with them by fingerprint.

Does the voice sound like a Dalek?

It's available to anyone with residence longer than 6 months in the UK. My IRIS registration will expire end of October this year [which is also the ending date of my current 4 year visa]. Of course, if I extend my stay I will be able to extend this too.

I use it mainly at BHX and sometimes at LHR and never had any problems. Actually, it seems to me that it's working faster nowadays. Once we diverted from BHX to MAN because of the snowstorm and went straight through there as well.

In BHX, pleasant female voice says 'Thank you' when the gate opens.




and I always, quietly, say "Thank you!"

You don't need residence. You need to show at least two entrances into the country in the last 6 months or 4 in the last year. I am not nor have I ever been a UK resident and I'm registered.

I've never had trouble getting recognized when I use the system.

The machine/program are similar to Nexus - it's phenomenal, convenient, and best of all - no need to talk to anyone in immigration or customs. Being able to skip the passener and car lines using Nexus can save hours.

Even better!
I think I was looking at it from the point of a visa national that it would require visa/residence with duration longer than 6 months.

I just signed up at LHR in late April. I thought the default was 2 years, but for some reason, the UK border agency person only gave me 6 months. I had 4 entries from November 2008 to April 2009. Unfortunately I wont be going back most likely until Sept-Oct but I plan to renew at that time and figure out the 2-year deal.

Since all your other points have been demonstrated to be incorrect by previous posters I thought I'd pick up on this one

You do not have to go back to the end of the queue if for whatever reason the system cannot read your iris (again, very unlikely - never failed once for me in 100+ visits). You can go immediately to the desk that is right next to the Iris machine, show them your passport and enter normally. If this desk isn't manned you can go directly to the front of the "regular" queue.

That's NOT the way it work when the machine at LGW failed to recognize me 3 weeks ago. I was sent to the back of the queue. Now, admittedly there were only 3 folks in front of me....

I understand how it is SUPPOSED to work, but my comment is based on actual, personal experience.

LGW (north) barrier is more difficult to use. This is due to the strip lighting directly above the barrier. The glare from the light interferes with the IRIS capture process. There is a similar problem at TN1, sunlight streaming in from the window on the right hand side interferes with the iris capture process. TN1 barrier best used on a cloudy day or at night!

To ensure a successful IRIS capture please look into the camera with eyes wide opened a bit like a 'Startled Rabbit'! It also helps to remove spectacles if possible.