the810

Being EU citizen, when entering Schengen Area I always just show my passport or national ID, officer checks photo and validity and very occasionally swipe it through reader or use UV to check if it ain't false. During 7 years I also was once randomly picked to have my baggage searched by customs (it was very brief and only took less than two minutes).

So it's hard for me to compare EU immigration procedure with those in other countries. That's why I'd like to ask non-EU citizen about their experiences when entering Schengen Area (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and any EU country except Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lichtenstein, Romania, UK and Ireland) - are you asked questions? What kind of questions? Is process significantly different from other countries?

I'm just interested in how EU-immigration check works. Thanks for all replies

mikemey

When I entered Germany last year from the US, all they did was look at my paperwork. I wasn't asked any questions at all. They stamped my passport and sent me on my way.

Exit was pretty much the same.

JennyElf

The most I've ever been asked is purpose of visit and how long am I planning to stay. Half the time, I'm not asked anything at all, just hand over my passport and they stamp it.

sbagdon

It was always simple stuff... where you're going, how long you're going to stay. Sometimes what hotel, meeting anyone, etc. I have no problems entering foreign countries... it's usually entering my own country that's tiresome.

exbayern

What kind of 'paperwork'? Do you have to fill out a form? Just curious because the UA cabin crew seem to be rather worried when I decline a landing card for the UK.

mikemey

I believe it was just my passport. I don't remember filling anything out for Germany on the plane.

CX HK

From my thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-schengen.html

trode

Entering the Schengen area, I've always just handed immigration my passport and at most been asked very basic questions such as the purpose of my visit and where I am staying. But sometimes it takes a little conversation. Last month when my family arrived at FRA to start the European part of our vacation, the immigration officer did not seem to understand that there was a community in Germany called "Berkatal", but he was satisfied when we supplied the municipality name.

CX HK

I believe Germany is home to the toughest immigration officers (relative to the rest of the Schengen zone) while Italy and France contain some of the most lax.

König

I usually enter Schengen through FRA or MUC and occasionally CDG - 90% of the time they do not ask me anything at all, just stamp the passport. If they do ask questions, it's a few simple ones (e.g., purpose of travel and length of stay). As a matter of fact, it is hard even to squeeze "Hallo" from German bundespolizeien at the passport control. It is my long-time dream that our own CBP will be like that one day...

t325

That's pretty much what I experienced entering Berlin (from an LHR-TXL) flight as a US citizen. Quick glance at my passport, a stamp, and a "Wilkommen".

When I took the Eurostar to Paris from London a few months ago, the French BP agent at St. Pancras was talking on the phone and wasn't even paying attention to passports, he was just turning them to a random page and stamping them. I guess he figured if we're good enough to get into the UK, we're good enough to get into France.

GUWonder

For those OECD country-using passport holders not holding an EU passport, Germany is not home to the "toughest" immigration officers in the Schengen area, at least not if the idea of "tough" is the frequency of incidence of being questioned on arrival as a tourist. The female Swedish immigration officers are much "tougher".

exbayern

Based on your previous thread that you linked here, I take it that you think that is a positive thing? I'm not certain if you were complaining about 'lax security' elsewhere or too tight in Germany?

I often get a welcome or a greeting or some small talk on arrival in Germany, and a farewell or small talk on departure.

the810

So it seems to be pretty much same procedure for both EU and non-EU citizens (except EU citizens are obviously not asked why are they entering Schengen area, since they are allowed to move/work there if they wish to).

Reason why I asked is that I saw pretty long queue at "all passports" in BUD couple of days ago, but that's probably because flights from Pristina and Istanbul landed few minutes ago and they treat these citizens differently. Thanks for all answers

exbayern

A few weeks ago the 'all passports' queue at FRA was quite long compared to the 'EU' queue, and someone lost it and started to run around screaming at the police.

Most of the time though I find the 'all' vs 'EU' queues are not that much different in length at the EU airports I frequent, other than LHR.