Avoid airport queues when returning to UK with 'little-known' passport control tip

Avoid airport queues when returning to UK with 'little-known' passport control tipMost people aren't aware that there isn't a rule against thisCommentsTravelAndrew Nuttall U35 Lifestyle Writer14:45, 21 Apr 2026Updated 14:45, 21 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesMost Brits make the same 'mistake' before passport control checks (stock image)(Image: Getty (Franziska & Tom Werner))Regardless of where you go on holiday, when you're due to fly back to the UK, you'll always need to go through passport control checks. Queues at border control can be long, but passengers could save themselves from standing around or rushing to get their flight by taking advantage of a little-known travel tip.‌Chelsea Dickenson, known for sharing travel tips and deals on ITV's This Morning, told her Instagram followers an airport tip that few people realise is possible. The time-saving trick feels like it is against the rules, but Chelsea says that's not the case.‌The travel specialist said: "After arriving at the airport, you go through security, probably through a duty-free, and then you arrive in the main departures area. However, if you are flying to a non-Schengen country, which includes the United Kingdom, you do still need to go through passport control."‌Most European countries are part of Schengen, a group of nations that allow free movement between them without border controls. Holiday hotspots - like Spain, France and Greece - are part of this list of 29 countries, but the UK is not on this list, along with Ireland and Cyprus.In most European airports, there is usually just one passport control area, and people don't start filing through until their gate has been called, which leads to a plane-load of Brits all trying to get through at once. But, there's no rule against getting your documents checked early - and even before your flight has a gate assigned to it.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌Chelsea explained...