 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Won't affect Eurostar trains. Too many MEPs/MPs use them.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Eurotunnel are now asking for advance passenger information, got an email today reminding me to add it to my booking.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thank Christ for the Schengen Area 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Even if you have filled in the advance passenger information that won't get you to the front of the 2-3 hour queue.
Basically if this goes ahead in full the eurotunnel business for cars at peak periods is bust.
It will be a lorry only service soon.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@stanton, Thank C we didn't join it - at least we have some control as to who we let in or out!
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@Hells Bells, That must be new! We travelled back today and didn't need to add them.
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@genepi, a real pain in the neck if there are queues and long delays. Folkestone terminal is not set up for this on a regular basis. Due to 'an incident' we were subject to checks from UK Border Agency when we left the Uk last Good Friday for the EoSB. Check-in staff were apologising before we even got there for the bad timing of the decision to stop everyone leaving the UK. We had just discovered moments before that son no 1 had left his passport in his room at home and were already comvinced we would have to chuck him out and send him home again. However, they weren't that interested in our passports but did want to know what our travel plans were. We took the opportunity to ask about son not having his passport, and they advised is what to do on our return. All they said was that if the guy on the French border control wouldn't let us in, then he would have to stay here. However, the French blokey just waved us on as usual.
If they are stopping every vehicle and making everyone get off their coach, chaos will ensue.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Eurotunnel have been trialling it several times and haven't heard of huge delays, but is bound to cause some delays at peak periods. Of course in uk the flow through passport control is strictly controlled to a couple of trains and everyone else turned back, which makes it more manageable
They used to do that in France as well, before they fooked it up in attempt to get people to use terminal shops  and what a success that's been
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Eurotunnel are now asking for advance passenger information, got an email today reminding me to add it to my booking. |
Hmmm - I travel on 4th April, return on 12th - I haven't had an email
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Exit checks worked OK until they were removed in 94/98, and they seem to work OK in every other country in the world, so there is no logical reason why they shouldn't work seamlessly in the UK? Having said that, we struggle to manage immigration checks as it is so I won't be holding my breath. On previous form UK border force will probably reckon that a couple of machines (each taking its turn to be out of service) will be plenty for the tens of millions travelling through Heathrow.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We travel several times a year and endure the irritation of getting through passport control on our return. What really frustrates me is having only 2 lanes open and seeing 6 or more officers hanging around in the booths. At Gatwick etc they seem to have the ability to work alone without all the extra supervision.
Can't see how API is going to speed things up.
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@holidayloverxx, we leave on the 2nd, back on the 11th. No email either but presumably it won't affect us coming back into the UK
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You know it makes sense.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| @stanton, Thank C we didn't join it - at least we have some control as to who we let in or out! |
You misunderstand.
The problem is the UK !!
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Controlling who leaves there is just that. Hopeully
These new controls will neutralise their travel plans
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@chocksaway, Schengen doesn't affect area-external borders, just internal ones. Would only be an advantage to the UK to join.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
| so there is no logical reason why they shouldn't work seamlessly in the UK? |
logic went out the window when they reduced the staff and created the Border Agency.
UK International Airports already do view passports on exit - both at check-in and at the security gate through to airside. All they need is a bit of computer software to scan them and handle the data. No major manpower issues. But our track record with HMG IT Systems isn't great.....
The real fun is going to be at many ferry ports and stations - where frankly immigration/emigration has never really been taken very seriously. Good luck Eurostar users. Biometrics and self-scanning would be the answer - EGates are common here in the Middle East. But they are currently unreliable and I believe the experience with them in UK is pretty similar. And you have to pre-register your bio data somewhere before they can be used. The American-led attempt to put it all on the passports was scuppered.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Dubaian, your right in saying that e-gates are the way to go, but with current UK passports there is no need to preregistration. The data is all on the passports. They work OK at LHR after a fashion, but there are four problems with them:
1. They don't work with children - I think because their faces are still changing.
2. No use with non-British passports
3. T5 has a miserable five machines, of which at least one is always U/S
4. The machines fail to identify the passenger at least 20% of the time.
In consequence it is usually quicker to take the non-egate route.
The old IRIS system was pretty good. Worked faster than the current system. Only very frequent travellers had registered so if you were one of them you could charge through much faster.
I gather T5 are introducing another 20 e-gates in the next few weeks. No doubt they will remove >20 border force 'officers', to ensure the queues never get shorter.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @chocksaway, Schengen doesn't affect area-external borders, just internal ones. Would only be an advantage to the UK to join. |
not really. Have you never seen the camps of illegal immigrants/asylum seekers at Calais?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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foxtrotzulu, thanks for the info about e-gates in UK. I guess the UK passport can only have face-recognition built in (from the photo you sent them).
IMO it's better to use finger prints or iris recognition - but then you'd have to pre-register.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Dubaian wrote: |
foxtrotzulu, thanks for the info about e-gates in UK. I guess the UK passport can only have face-recognition built in (from the photo you sent them).
IMO it's better to use finger prints or iris recognition - but then you'd have to pre-register. |
indeed, but I suspect that FR is currently the best all round solution. It's simple and requires no preregistration. It is probably secure enough.
In the US 20 years ago they used to have something called an INSPASS. A credit card you inserted into a machine and then a hand scanner to measure the length, position, shape of your fingers and hand.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| under a new name wrote: |
| @chocksaway, Schengen doesn't affect area-external borders, just internal ones. Would only be an advantage to the UK to join. |
not really. Have you never seen the camps of illegal immigrants/asylum seekers at Calais? |
Is that purely down to Schengen? If it is working correctly, they wouldn't even get in the area, surely? And if they're legal entrants, srely they'd be legal into the Uk.
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And they still call this "Free Movement"
Can't control who comes in but we'll hold you up getting out....
Before we had "Free movement"you could go down to Dover - have a photo taken and fill out an ID card valid for 60 hours.
Yes we live in different times but we had our fair share of terrorist attacks in the 70s and 80s, same threat to life just a different direction..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
If it is working correctly, they wouldn't even get in the area, surely?
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It's difficult to imagine any way in which an agreement like Schengen would work which would prevent boatloads of people including women and children coming ashore. If they were pitching up to Cornwall or Wales we wouldn't be sinking them at sea before they landed, would we? We are fortunate with our geography - an island nation in north west Europe. Isn't it this geography, rather than our non-membership of Schengen, which means that others - particularly the Italians - are having to cope?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Schengen would only work correctly if everyone inside the Schengen area was there legally and no one tried to enter the Schengen area illegally. Until that Utopia exists I think we can safely say that it doesn't work quite how it was intended to.
The existence of Sangatte (and it's later incarnations) ably demonstrates this as many of these people will have entered Schengen illegally through the southern European states yet have managed to cross internal borders all the way to northern France.
Operating exit controls does not prevent free movement...there is nothing stopping you from leaving the UK...you just have to undergo checks first.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/advance-passenger-information/ @holidayloverxx, I've been on the phone to them this morning as I have double checked my email and I can confirm that it IS HAPPENING on the 1st April (no joke ha ha) and they will need names, passport numbers and date of expiry of the passport etc in advance! The man says he has no idea why I didn't yet receive an email...
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| Quote: |
have managed to cross internal borders all the way to northern France.
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they could do that even without Schengen - more difficult, but not a problem for desperate people ready to suffer enormous hardship. Loads of people cross the border between the US and Mexico (and many die in the attempt) despite the expenditure of huge amounts of money in policing it and some impressive fencing.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, that's my impression. Switzerland is fully Schengened up, en route between Italy's shores and Calais and has very few refugees, etc. littering the place up.
Ergo, Schengen isn't the problem.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Hurdy,
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many of these people will have entered Schengen illegally through the southern European states yet have managed to cross internal borders all the way to northern France.
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There aren't any borders. Surely, that is the point?
@under a new name,
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@pam w, that's my impression. Switzerland is fully Schengened up, en route between Italy's shores and Calais and has very few refugees, etc. littering the place up.
Ergo, Schengen isn't the problem.
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I'm not sure that follows logically. To end up with a shedload of illegals you not only need borders porous enough for them to get in but you also need them to want to come as well. For a variety of reasons Switzerland is a far less attractive detination than the UK.
To be precise it's not the free movement of people within the Schengen area that is the failing, but the inabikity of the Schengen area to control it's own borders. Until that happens, and it's hard to see how it ever could, then we always run the risk of an unwanted influx.
On a different note, can someone please tell me why so many of those trying to get across the channel are asylum seekers. They are supposed to apply for asylum in the first country they come to. If they do that and succeed then they can surely go wherever they like within the EU?
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Poster: A snowHead
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There are still borders and the Schengen agreement gives Member States the right to resurrect border controls if they want to. I was stopped at the border between France and Belgium for a five minute chat a few years ago.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Why does anyone talk about borders between continental countries - do you think illegals/criminals queue up at border posts - no they all ski over the mountain and use back roads - sorry trying to bring this back to Skiing.
Borders or no borders - it's irrelevant - they get here - the situation is not going to change....history has a habit of repeating itself.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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To be fair to the minister, the interviewer was going after that quote and the minister didn't actually give it -- all that was said was “Well, obviously we want people to set out in good time.” and “On busy days, I think it’s advisable for anyone to set out earlier to ensure that they‘re at their port of departure on time.”
Facts don't seem to stop the press misrepresenting what was said in headlines or lead paragraphs, though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It's not as if we are always told to leave extra early because those inefficient continentals insit on exit checks unlike us wise and efficient Brits.
I have to say that my heart sinks every time I walk through the arrivals hall at T5. It's not so much the 10 minute wait but more that I feel we're being treated like cattle. How come almost every other country on earth manages to do iot better than us. Even flying into Moscow is a more pleasant experience than LHR.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
How come almost every other country on earth manages to do iot better than us.
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IMHO because the general public hasn't worked out that if you want good services you have to be prepared to pay higher taxes for them.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Boris, Fair point, but the link between high taxes and improved public services often seems incredibly tenuous. If you had Fast Track line that cost you £3 to have a more civilised experience I suspect many would happily pay.
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Came back through the Chunnel last half term and it still took hours to get through passport control. Even after mammoth delays due to motorway closures in France. Every peak holiday time coincides with border agency flexing their muscles. Conversely went to USA a couple of weeks back and its now finger print and passport scan entry. 15 mins and I was in! Going to Cham again over Easter and fully prepared for long delays. The jobs worth love it! 
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| @holidayloverxx, this is the link https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/api/ . It says it needs to be provided by April 1st, but it has been delayed until the 8th now. |
thanks
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Fruity wrote: |
| https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/advance-passenger-information/ @holidayloverxx, I've been on the phone to them this morning as I have double checked my email and I can confirm that it IS HAPPENING on the 1st April (no joke ha ha) and they will need names, passport numbers and date of expiry of the passport etc in advance! The man says he has no idea why I didn't yet receive an email... |
conflicting with Hells Bells comment
hey ho, i'll have a look
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done it anyway - it only took a minutes...now lets see what happens on the day
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FAQ
