Schengen now thoroughly checking all EU passengers
Apr 30, 2017, 9:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 451
Schengen now thoroughly checking all EU passengers
So since April 7th we've had this...
http://www.politico.eu/article/tight...engen-borders/
Since then, there has been some cases of news reports regarding more issues, such as Slovenia and Croatia. But how has your experience been, fellow EU citizens here? Is it noticably longer at the borders or are things going usually smoothly? 50 minute connections non-Schengen to Schengen affected in any way?
Worry about homegrown terrorists is prompting tighter controls starting Friday at airports, seaports and border crossings for those who enter or exit the 26-country Schengen passport-free area.
Following an amendment to the Schengen Border Code approved last month, border officers now have to check the documents of all travelers against databases like the Schengen Information System, Interpol and registers of wanted persons.
Previously, EU citizens leaving the zone were generally only checked for the expiration date of their passports and if the passport photo matched the traveler. For travelers from non-EU countries, systematic checks against the databases were already compulsory, but only when entering, not exiting the Schengen area.
The new policy doesn’t impose extra checks on people traveling within the zone.
To avoid long queues at land and sea borders, the regulation allows the authorities to carry out “targeted” checks against databases, if there is an assessment showing that this does not pose a risk to internal security.
Airports with “infrastructural difficulties” preventing systematic checks are allowed to check on a random basis as well, but only for a transition period of up to 18 months.
“This is a small change in regulation, but it has a strong effect on us,” because more people will have to be checked, said a police spokesperson at Frankfurt airport, Germany’s largest. The airport hopes to make greater use of the EasyPASS system, an automatic identity checking system.
Following an amendment to the Schengen Border Code approved last month, border officers now have to check the documents of all travelers against databases like the Schengen Information System, Interpol and registers of wanted persons.
Previously, EU citizens leaving the zone were generally only checked for the expiration date of their passports and if the passport photo matched the traveler. For travelers from non-EU countries, systematic checks against the databases were already compulsory, but only when entering, not exiting the Schengen area.
The new policy doesn’t impose extra checks on people traveling within the zone.
To avoid long queues at land and sea borders, the regulation allows the authorities to carry out “targeted” checks against databases, if there is an assessment showing that this does not pose a risk to internal security.
Airports with “infrastructural difficulties” preventing systematic checks are allowed to check on a random basis as well, but only for a transition period of up to 18 months.
“This is a small change in regulation, but it has a strong effect on us,” because more people will have to be checked, said a police spokesperson at Frankfurt airport, Germany’s largest. The airport hopes to make greater use of the EasyPASS system, an automatic identity checking system.
Since then, there has been some cases of news reports regarding more issues, such as Slovenia and Croatia. But how has your experience been, fellow EU citizens here? Is it noticably longer at the borders or are things going usually smoothly? 50 minute connections non-Schengen to Schengen affected in any way?
Apr 30, 2017, 12:43 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Peterborough, UK
Programs: BA Silver; IHG Spire; Avis P+; Global Entry
Posts: 1,505
they must of started this in Spain a few weeks ago, as for the first time they were checking every passport instead of waving us through.
This was the result (i have never seen a queue there before)
This was the result (i have never seen a queue there before)
May 1, 2017, 8:27 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 408
So since April 7th we've had this...
http://www.politico.eu/article/tight...engen-borders/
Since then, there has been some cases of news reports regarding more issues, such as Slovenia and Croatia. But how has your experience been, fellow EU citizens here? Is it noticably longer at the borders or are things going usually smoothly? 50 minute connections non-Schengen to Schengen affected in any way?
http://www.politico.eu/article/tight...engen-borders/
Since then, there has been some cases of news reports regarding more issues, such as Slovenia and Croatia. But how has your experience been, fellow EU citizens here? Is it noticably longer at the borders or are things going usually smoothly? 50 minute connections non-Schengen to Schengen affected in any way?
http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2017/04/...24_681252.html
3h queue for non-EU passport holders.
May 1, 2017, 8:35 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
As I have been saying for years, the more reliant passport control becomes upon automated passport control kiosks, the more extreme the times to clear will be for passengers during the busiest days/times. And the more checks they want to perform, the more extreme the times to clear will be.
This is the current reality at Spain too.
This kind of mess ought to have been expected given the order to use SIS, Interpol and national database against all passengers entering/exiting the Schengen zone -- even all those with prima facie evidence of being admissible.
This is the current reality at Spain too.
This kind of mess ought to have been expected given the order to use SIS, Interpol and national database against all passengers entering/exiting the Schengen zone -- even all those with prima facie evidence of being admissible.
Last edited by GUWonder; May 1, 2017 at 8:42 am
May 7, 2017, 2:11 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
I don't know what's going on in Spain - I only entered the Schengen area this last month on in HEL. The passport control took 10 secs (instead of the usual 3) - hand it over, he scans the passport, looks at my face, checks the screen, welcome home.
May 7, 2017, 8:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: PNW
Programs: BAEC Silver, DL GM, AA Plat, NEXUS
Posts: 467
Plus I heard there are issues with Spanish police staffing.
May 8, 2017, 3:05 am
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
While HEL works out relatively more smoothly than most of the European flag carrier hubs with automated passport control gates in use, more and more of the European flag carriers' hubs are on a path to make LHR passport control look relatively better than it would be if not for the Schengen hubs making longer/slower lines than they used to have just a few years ago or even more recently than that. And if we think the wait and processing times are bad enough as is now, just wait until there is a full launch of an automated fingerprint identification system for most all persons entering/exiting the Schengen zone.
Last edited by GUWonder; May 8, 2017 at 3:14 am
May 8, 2017, 5:07 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Peterborough, UK
Programs: BA Silver; IHG Spire; Avis P+; Global Entry
Posts: 1,505
This!
i spoke to the guy the other week, he said there is only a max of 2 scheduled to work at that time (PMI) however with 9 flights to the UK leaving in the next 3 hours, it used to be a case of wave through, now they didnt know what to do.
If this remains in place, more police will need to man the border posts to go to the level of other Schengen states
i spoke to the guy the other week, he said there is only a max of 2 scheduled to work at that time (PMI) however with 9 flights to the UK leaving in the next 3 hours, it used to be a case of wave through, now they didnt know what to do.
If this remains in place, more police will need to man the border posts to go to the level of other Schengen states
May 8, 2017, 5:18 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
This!
i spoke to the guy the other week, he said there is only a max of 2 scheduled to work at that time (PMI) however with 9 flights to the UK leaving in the next 3 hours, it used to be a case of wave through, now they didnt know what to do.
If this remains in place, more police will need to man the border posts to go to the level of other Schengen states
i spoke to the guy the other week, he said there is only a max of 2 scheduled to work at that time (PMI) however with 9 flights to the UK leaving in the next 3 hours, it used to be a case of wave through, now they didnt know what to do.
If this remains in place, more police will need to man the border posts to go to the level of other Schengen states
May 15, 2017, 7:57 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
ZRH has generally always scanned my passport for the past few years, so no real change there. I've never had a wait despite that (well, maybe 3-4 passengers in front of me), and they're also adding automated gates later this year. It's been very rare to be allowed to pass with only a glance at the photo. (My one recent experience in BSL was the opposite, but that was when arriving from the EU so I imagine there are less issues then.)
May 17, 2017, 1:55 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Note that the Schengen treaty has also been temporarily suspended for flights into Italy as a result of the G7.
All passengers were required to go through immigration this past weekend when we flew ATH - FCO. There was a giant sign indicating that the treaty had been suspended for the entire month of May as a result of the G7 summit in Sicily and that passengers would be required to provide Passport or EU ID card.
Both of our passports (both US citizens) were scanned (but not stamped of course) and then we were waved through.
All passengers were required to go through immigration this past weekend when we flew ATH - FCO. There was a giant sign indicating that the treaty had been suspended for the entire month of May as a result of the G7 summit in Sicily and that passengers would be required to provide Passport or EU ID card.
Both of our passports (both US citizens) were scanned (but not stamped of course) and then we were waved through.