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1. Persons whose border crossing is subject to a registration in the EES in accordance with Article 6a may be permitted to use a self-service system for the carrying out of their border checks, where all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

(a) the travel document contains an electronic storage medium (chip) and the authenticity and integrity of the chip data are confirmed using the complete valid certificate chain;

(b) the travel document contains a facial image recorded in the electronic storage medium (chip) which can be technically accessed by the self-service system so as to verify the identity of the holder of the travel document, by comparing that facial image with his or her live facial image; and (c) the person is already enrolled or pre-enrolled in the EES.

2. Where the conditions laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article are met, the border checks on entry provided for in Article 8(2) and Article 8(3)(a) and (b) and the border checks on exit provided for in Article 8(2) and Article 8(3)(g) and (h) may be carried out through a self-service system. When carried out through an automated border control system, the border checks on exit shall include the checks provided for in Article 8(3)(h). Where a person is granted access to a national facilitation programme established by a Member State pursuant to Article 8d, the border checks carried out through a self-service system on entry may omit the examination of the aspects referred to in Article 8(3)(a)(iv) and (v) when that person crosses the external borders of that Member State or the external borders of a Member State which has concluded an agreement with the Member State which granted the access as referred to under Article 8d(9).

3. On entry and exit, the results of the border checks carried out through the self-service system shall be made available to a border guard. That border guard shall monitor the results of border checks and, taking into account those results, authorise the entry or exit or, otherwise, refer the person to a border guard who shall proceed with further checks.

4. The person in question shall be referred to a border guard pursuant to paragraph 3 in any of the following situations:

(a) where one or more of the conditions listed under paragraph 1 are not fulfilled;

(b) where the checks on entry or exit provided for in paragraph 2 reveal that one or several of the entry or exit conditions are not met;

(c) where the results of the checks on entry or exit provided for in paragraph 2 put into question the identity of the person or when they reveal that the person is considered to be a threat to the internal security, public policy or international relations of any Member State or to public health;

(d) in the case of doubt;

(e) where no e-gates are available.

5. In addition to the situations referred to in paragraph 4, the border guard supervising the border crossing may decide, based on other reasons, to refer the person using the self-service system to a border guard.

6. Persons whose border crossing is subject to a registration in the EES in accordance with Article 6a(1) and who used a self-service system for the carrying out of their border checks may be authorised to use an e-gate. Where an e-gate is used, the corresponding registration of the entry/exit record and the linking of that record to the corresponding individual file pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 shall be carried out when crossing the border through the e-gate. Where the e-gate and the self-service system are physically separated, a verification of the identity of the user shall take place at the e-gate in order to verify that the person using the e-gate corresponds to the person who used the self-service system. The verification shall be carried out by using at least one biometric identifier.

7. Where the conditions listed in point (a) or (b) of paragraph 1 of this Article, or in both, are not fulfilled, part of the border checks on entry pursuant to Article 8(3)(a) and (b) and part of the border checks on exit pursuant to Article 8(3)(g) and (h) may be carried out through a self-service system. The border guard may perform only those verifications pursuant to Article 8(3)(a) and (b) and Article 8(3)(g) and (h) that could not be carried out through the self-service system. In addition, the border guard shall verify that the travel document used at the self-service system corresponds to the one held by the person standing before that border guard.

8. Self-service systems and e-gates shall be operated under the supervision of a border guard who shall be in charge of detecting any inappropriate, fraudulent or abnormal use of the self-service system, e-gate, or both.

9. This Article is without prejudice to the possibility for Member States to allow for the use of self-service systems, e-gates, or both, for border crossings by Union citizens, by citizens of a European Free Trade Association State of the European Economic Area, by citizens of Switzerland and by third-country nationals whose border crossing is not subject to a registration in the EES.