Sorry, I just noticed this...

As a UK permanent resident for all my life, who pays (lots and lots of) UK taxes, I object to this assertion. Having experienced both post-9/11 lines and secondary interviews en route to the US, and LHR T3 immigration in the morning when several 747s have arrived simultaneously an hour early and perhaps there are only 3-4 immigration officers are on duty (with lots of others standing around doing nothing), I can guarantee you that the much-maligned US is really Not-That-Bad. Even JFK and LAX.

The move to having a separate UK visa/permanent resident line (see post above) is a start. But, frankly, the state of UK arrivals immigration for non-EU passport holders (esp at T3) is a shambles, and needs to get sorted.

Of course, if PapaPenguin is flying C or F, make sure you pick up some of those pink Fast Track forms to jump the worst of the queue.

My point was that people not entitled to use the EU line should not use it. If I tried to use the US Citizen line at a US Airport I be sent to the non-US Citizen lines.

And don't forget that for non EU people that an IO has right to refuse entry to any non EU national (except those claiming politcal asylum). This is a very empowering law in the UK that the right of entry is granted to a person at the coal face. This is power is enforcable even if a person has a valid entry visa.

So getting into the 'wrong' queue might end up turning a fews hairs and if you get someone that has had a bad day things might just get worse for you.

An interesting first hand account of being an IO.

My Love. In your dreams! I go through arguably more often than anyone. I assure you that we bless the crew exits that allow us into the USA without going through the lines.

There are times when it is better than other, but in the main it is ghastly for people who have come in on long flights and are in the Non-US line( at least they are no longer aliens!). I will admit readily that some airports are not so bad, but LAX is grim, Miami is a disgrace, and IAD is unspeakable. A friend of mine took 90 minutes the other day.

Whilst we are about it, could you please tell me why we have to hand out reems of paper to people going into the USA, and a small card to those coming into the UK.

Where please is the Fast Track for Business and First Class passengers?

I am sorry that you are inconvenienced at T3/4 or any other, but I assure you that it is more than reciprocal.

If I hear one complaint more than any it is is about Immigration in the USA- Sorry! If you think that I sound peeved, it is memories of similar lines at the US frontier over the years. I just tell everyone, endure it as best you can, it is so unlke anything else you will experience in the USA.

FWIW, PapaPenguin, if accompanied by his (presumably) U.S. citizen wife, can along with his children use the U.S. citizens line when entering the U.S.

What they are supposed to do and what they actually do are different matters.

On many occasions when the "other" queue is very very long and the EU line non-existant, I have gone through the EU queue. Generally I am very nice and make state that my flight was late, I will be late for a meeting and could they please process me. This has worked 99% of the time (the only time it did not work was when I was behind 2 747's of Indians/Pakistanis, and the UK agent, himself of sub-continental ancestry, gave me a line like "so you think your more important than all them because you're not Indian, right??".

In 99% of cases they will let dependants through with you.

In the case of the US, they actually WANT US passport holders to go through with dependants as it severely cuts down overall transaction time across the board (imagine, you are a US citzen, your wife is not. You sail through and go wait for the bags. She gets the third degree and says she is married to a US citizen. The line then stops until you are located to "vouch" for her).

HFly, Love. Have you ever done it. or just watched it happening?

Anyway, no doubt Papa Penguin will be delighted with the lack of consensus, and will let us all know how he gets on.

Whatever (sorry attention span exceeded on the yes they do not they don't discussion when I happen to know what they actually do)
Maybe someone who actually has will let us all know. OIf Him Indoors has misled us, he will die.

Simple problem, simple solution.

Hello Pucci,

I can't beleive I'm bold enough today to address you but I'll try.

In the USA the "Fast Track" is call an INSPASS Card.

Although the machines never work...you just by-pass the line...stand by the machine with your card out and they wave you on in.

And speaking of lines....I'm a Terminal 3 man and if your flight arrives after 7:30am it looks like high season at Disneyland with all the lines twisting and turning.

Yes...thank you for Fast Track!!

Love your posts....love your airline (when I fly on award travel....thanks Diners Club)

Dear Pucci,

I laughed hard when I read your post about the nasty US Immigration crew. While I do not completely disagree with you, I think that the UK Immigration Crew at LHR is certainly on the same level of nastiness.

I do fly your Favourite Airline quite regularly, in addition to UAL, and I used to show my face at LHR almost every week, sometime 3 times a week if I fly into London on my way to and fro the Continent.

I am SURE that the Immigration Officer at LHR knows the regularity of my visits to the Kingdom by merely scanning my rather thick US passport (due to addl pages being added), but he/she kept on insisting on this line of questioning:
1) Q: why do you want to enter the UK, A: because my Company has an office here in London (I usually do not mention that I'm that Ltd Co's CEO, and that Co employs Brits)
2) Q: how long will you be in the UK? A: until this weekend/until next month/until whatever (DUH! I believe that us Yanks are automatically issued a 6 months (or is it 3 months visitor visa?)
3) Q: who will be paying your salary and expenses while you are in the UK? A: My company (DUH!!!) This one has got to top ALL of IO's questions anywhere!

I'm frankly surprised that they did not asked me to produce my return ticket before stamping my passport! Now, if I was to apply for asylum in the UK, perhaps I will be treated better? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Funny thing is, whenever I go thru the FastTrack line, none of this bullcrap ever occur? Amazing or what!!!

Thanks for all the interesting discussions. I always love how a very basic question can generate a series of insightful and amusing responses.

The last time I returned to the UK I had one kid in a stroller + wife and was waved through to a completely empty line by a nice smiling geezer.

This time I have 2 kiddos in 2 strollers + wife, so we can't easily split up, hence the question. It seems like the non EU line is the best bet unless I see another friendly queue/line manager.

BTW, I also have a US passport so returning to the US is a snap (we can at least get in the same line) as long as you can work out which carousel of the two at LAX Tom Brad your bags will turn up on.

I assume that you didn't have a visa for these trips. In that case, the IO is the person responsible for finding out which category of entry you are seeking and then deciding whether you satisfy the legal criteria for entry in that category. The IO must, as a matter of law, find out and satisfy himself/herself of these things every time you seek to enter the UK. Three straightforward questions seem to do it in your case, you don't seem to have any problems in answering them, nor do your answers seem to cause any of the IOs to doubt the fact that you do qualify to enter.

I, however, vividly remember having to explain to an immigration inspector at CLT how my friend was having work done on the foundations of her house, and that she therefore couldn't put me up, which was the reason why I was staying in a hotel rather than with her.

[This message has been edited by Globaliser (edited 06-06-2003).]

I am in the UK on a work permit. I never ever have my passport stamped - it it was, I'd be going through way too many passports ! My worst experience was flying into LGW from Munich - a very short flight. I was beaten to the line by an Air Jamaica flight. Four hours in the immigration queue after a short haul flight !!! I missed my meeting and was not at all happy.... I have noticed the new lines they now have - but only at LHR T1 ...

They would have stamped your permit at time of first entry with it - otherwise it could be assumed you entered illegally. The UK stopped stamping on every re-entry past the first back on 1 July 2000. They do log your passport number though.

I apologise right now for even thinking of doubting the Oracle, but I fear that Pucci Galore may have left out the word NOT:

... Brits have to show passports as we do not have Identity Cards ...