Germany will permit British passport holders to use automated e-gates at its airports from the end of August, initially restricting access to frequent travellers.
The agreement was announced by the Cabinet Office following the signing of a bilateral treaty between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during the latter's inaugural official visit to Britain.
The arrangement marks an important shift in post-Brexit travel arrangements, as UK citizens have been required to queue at staffed immigration desks for passport stamps since leaving the EU.
Full access for all British nationals will follow once Germany completes necessary updates to accommodate the EU's forthcoming Entry/Exit System.
GETTY | Britons will be able to use automated e-gates in Germany
The treaty represents part of broader efforts to ease travel between Britain and EU member states, with the UK-EU summit in May establishing that no legal obstacles prevent British citizens from using EU e-gates. Since that summit, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Portugal have already expanded e-gate access for UK travellers.
The Cabinet Office noted that the issue of lengthy airport queues has been "one of the most visible impacts of the UK's withdrawal from the EU". During peak travel periods, British passengers have faced particularly long waits at immigration controls across European airports.
EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "E-gates can make the slog of travelling through an airport that bit easier, which is why I have been working with the EU and member states to get more airports opened up to Brits abroad.
"With £30billion of services trade between the UK and the EU, this agreement isn't just good for holidaymakers, it's good for British businesses too, making travelling easier between Europe's biggest economies, to get deals done and boost growth."
The minister has been actively negotiating with European counterparts to expand automated border access for British travellers across the continent.
The bilateral treaty also establishes a taskforce to develop direct rail services between Britain and Germany, with the aim of launching routes within the next decade.
The taskforce will unite transport specialists from both nations to tackle obstacles including border controls, security arrangements and safety standards whilst working alongside train operators.
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Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: "We're pioneering a new era of European rail connectivity and are determined to put Britain at the heart of a better-connected continent.
"The Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie in just a matter of years, rail passengers in the UK could be able to visit these iconic sites direct from the comfort of a train, thanks to a direct connection linking London and Berlin."