wportre

Update: FOIA request submitted to [email protected] QUOTE

Dear Sirs

I cite Section 1.1.1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Citing Section 10.1 I would appreciate your prompt reply.

My name is Michael Mouse, aka wportre. DoB 1948-ish.

I have a new UK (Citizen) passport 3.14159265, issued 3 May 2022 replacing 2.71828183 expired.

Neither has worked at UK egates for approximately 5 years. In all cases on using the egates I get a “Seek Assistance” message. Both passports work flawlessly at egates overseas.

I am a GOES participant.

I request information as to my presence or absence, or the presence of a close namesake, on any Home Office watch list which may preclude my entering the UK via egate.

I request information as to any other information on your records which may preclude my entering the UK via egate.

Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.

UNQUOTE

I will keep y'all posted (not holding my breath of course but the superstitious, conspiracy-minded little voice most of us have in some measure wonders if the email might be enough...)

Tobias-UK

This is not correct. The UK does not require its citizens to arrive in the UK on their UK passport, they may use whichever passport they chose. The issue with the eGate will not be as a result of using one passport over another.

blurt91

That is really handy to know. I was making assumptions based on Australian rules that obviously don't apply in the UK.

Tobias-UK

There are a number of countries that have similar rules to Australia, the USA is another for example. The UK has no such regulation, dual nationals can enter/leave the UK on whichever passport they choose.

Tobias-UK

I suspect your request will be refused under the 'exemption' clause provided under Part II of the Act. They will likely refuse (in full or in part) to confirm or deny whether information is held or confirm information is held but refuse to provide it. If they do, they will issue a refusal notice and set out the grounds for refusal.

hsmall

Not due to brexit - the Germans chose not to make the e-gates available to UK citizens, unlike for example the Portuguese - and indeed the Brits in the opposite direction for some reason.

wportre

Yes but let’s see: they release data on immigration appeals and so on.

Given the priceless info in this thread (for some reason I thought the UK followed the US and AU in demanding use of a home passport) my AU application is definitely more likely.

KARFA

I think it is a practical issue in that EU countries can make e-passport gates available but would still need to have someone after the gates to stamp your passport. Obviously with no more right of entry some EU countries are being cautious about controls still.

Obviously this all goes away once ETIAS (the electronic pre travel authorisation) comes in from next year as we can go back to using e-passport gates everywhere and no more need for stamps.

wportre

Topic drift but PMI over last few days was substantially easier both ways for Brits (egates) than EU (manual). Go figure.

fluffymitten

Yes had this on exiting BCN last month. Went through the e-Gates ok but then had to stop to get an exit stamp (entry was via a cruise terminal so a slightly different process).

corporate-wage-slave

This sounds like one of the newer Brexit passports, with the super hard data page. The main cause of failure with these are sliding on the glass, because it's so slippery a surface, followed by allowing some daylight to come in from the sides which then blanks out the scan via reflection. It's the opposite to the last series of EU passports which had a very flimsy data page, for which the hair clamp would work. If the Border Force agent said there wasn't anything wrong with your passport then it's likely to be technique, either over firmness with the push down (thus causing the first issue) or insufficient pressure (causing the second). If this is just after 2 uses I would give it a little longer before declaring it a dud.

IAN-UK

Yes, it's depressing that we cannot (yet) join the US, Hong Kong and Korea as third-party users of the EasyPASS-RTP gates. But i wonder if that is intransigence on the part of he German authorities or some wider failure in DE-UK negotiations.


At German airports in the scheme there were (probably sill are) manned booths after the EasyPASS-RTP gates, where users are directed if any final inspection/stamping is required.

I share your hope, but I'm not entirely confident of the 2003 delivery. ETIAS has been through a few push-backs. I think 2021 was the original target, with May 2023 the latest pencilled-in date; but that's now been softened to 2023 with a mild expectation for May.

cauchy

Those passport numbers

Is there a technical difference between the eGates at LHR and LGW? I've got a new-style passport, and after modifying my technique, I've been successful at LGW, but still no luck at LHR. What really annoys me is when the officers insist I still try the eGate, instead of just standing in manual queue.

corporate-wage-slave

They are nearly identical however they are slightly wider and the LGW hall is better lit. The latter has an impact on both the cameras and passengers in terms of scowling. They have more rejections at LGW, but I think that's because the passenger profile is different.

wportre

Update: Danish BCO couldn’t scan my passport at CPH and cleaned the data bars with a wipe, successfully. Hope! LHR T2 sees me scrubbing away, with the expected result The UK BCO was very kind and suggested next time joining “her” queue directly. I didn’t have the heart to tell her about the little Napoleons forbidding that. Gd this is dull.