Entry through e-gates after fiancé visa refusal?

Hi,

In the case where a fiancé visa is refused a non-EU national, would they be able to gain entry through the electronic gates as a visitor provided they are from a non-EU country that would otherwise have access to them?

The e-gates are still monitored by Border Force officers and can reject people who would then be sent to a manned passport check, they don't allow entry just because you have a passport from an accepted country. Not saying that they definitely wouldn't allow your fiance entry, just that they do have the capacity to reject people.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/gove ... -countries

Why was the visa refused?
What grounds is your Fiancé entering the country on? - To visit?
Was it the same passport used on the rejected visa as the one they'll try and use on the E-Gates?
If yes to the above; then your Fiancé MUST prepare to be stopped at the border.

The e-gates/border systems will automatically check the passport details against various databases (the same as a human officers system does). If there's been a recent visa refusal on there it's designed to flag that and send you to the desk. Of course errors do happen and some things slip through but the system matches on name/DOB as well as passport number/expiry so even if you use a different passport it's likely to get flagged.

This does depend on the reason for the visa refusal and the timescales involved of course but using the E-gates is not a way to skirt around a visa refusal. If I were your Fiancé I would not use the E-Gates but go straight to the manual desk and be prepared for the officer to ask questions about it. You don't want to appear as if you're trying to skirt the system and although I wouldn't mention it the second you get to the desk if the officer brings it up you can have your answers prepared. They may want details about the visit and ask more through details than usual so they can be assured your Fiancé isn't entering the country to marry you.