"Transport staff are recording details of all travellers leaving by commercial air, sea and rail transport.
The exit checks were set to particularly affect cross-channel ferry and Channel Tunnel travellers.
The government said they were needed to combat illegal immigration and would cause the "least possible disruption".
Initial reports suggested the new system had started without any major problems, with no delays at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone or P&O Ferries' terminal in Dover.
For the first month all passports will be scanned but only 25% of the passport holders will have their details verified to ensure they are genuine, in a bid to minimise disruption.
After a month, there will be a move to 50% verification and by the middle of June 100% verification will be introduced.
Data is being collected on all passengers as they leave the UK on scheduled commercial international air, sea and rail routes.
The government says exit checks are "predominately an immigration and data tool", giving a "comprehensive picture" of whether people leave the UK when they are supposed to.
It says the data - gathered by airline, rail or ferry operator staff - will "improve our ability to identify and further tighten the immigration routes and visas that are most vulnerable to abuse".
It will also help security services "track the movements of known or suspected criminals and terrorists".
School coach parties of European Economic Area children under the age of 16 will be exempt from checks."
Source: BBC
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