Easypass RTP enrollment for other people?
 

Hello,

I am enrolled in EasyPASS RTP and will be renewing in July. My children plan to be in Germany in November. Does anyone know if I can enroll them in July when I renew? I can bring their passports and signed forms, but I wonder if they need to be physically present to enroll.

I sent the question to the BuPo but have not heard back yet.

Thanks!

After an hour-long wait in MUC to get out of T2, I went to the Federal Police station and easily applied for EasyPass - I won’t be touching German passport control until November (maybe after EES?), so it will be interesting to test when departing Frankfurt then. The actual process was quite easy and took about 2 minutes to fill out the paper form and then another 2 minute for them to scan in the forms and my passport in the back. The officers were friendly enough for Germany, even in English.

Any recent successful enrollment experiences?

I enrolled in July at BER and they told me I should be all set. But next entry, at HAM in September, the e-gates failed to let me through. I went to the Bundespolizei office at HAM, and they said there was no record of me in the computer, and processed another application.

But I have no way to tell if the second one worked. I tried emailing through the contact form on the EasyPass-RTP website, but a month later have heard nothing.

It is puzzling. I certainly would be helpful to be able to check one’s status before traveling.

We went to the office at BER in July with our re-enrollment paperwork and were told that we did not need to re-enroll.

The e-gates worked for us entering and leaving Germany. We will be back in Germany next month (MUC) and will see if re-enrollment is necessary.

As for my original question (about whether we could register our sons without them being there), the answer was “no.”

The EasyPASS-RTP page still has a header that says that, due to the new EES, re-registration is “generally required” and that participants from the USA and ROK can re-register as early as July 3, 2023. Perhaps we were ok because we first registered in August 2023?

I will try to report back after the November trip.

Not an EasyPASS member but I was able to use a e-gate lane at MUC T1 (for exit immigration) recently that was clearly marked as accepting passports including from the U.S.

Is this new and/or only limited to MUC?

I know for entry at MUC, they've had automated lanes that accepted US passports fro several years. It was the lanes to the far left. No expereince on the exit, but not suprising.

MUC has exit egates in T1 & T2 for 'others' since quite some time. None for entry.

I think the misunderstanding in the last couple of posts come from interpreting the direction :D There are gates for other passports to exit Schengen / enter airside, and none to enter Schengen / exit airside. I believe fed planner was referring to far left (semi-)automated gates at MUC T2 on the upper level towards H gates, which could be deemed "entry gates" to MUC airside :)

Thank you being clearer on that than I was. That was what I was attempting to articulate.

These are relevant if flying from US and transferring at MUC to a Shengen flight? Or only if exiting into Germany?

Read my post above. Oliver's meaning was to "exit Schengen/Germany" and "enter Schengen/Germany", not "exit from non-Schengen airside into Schengen/Germany".

My confusion comes from "just following the signs" and never being fully aware of when I'm airside or just in some sort of strange area in-between. My assumption is that one arrives from an overseas star alliance flight at Gate Hx, and to get to your Shengen filght at Gate Gx, you go landside without really knowing and, when you go through security, that's your re-entry to airside. Passport control comes when you exit H terminal.

So to apply for EasyPass isn't that big a deal, the landside part, because you're already landside anyway. You just need the time to do it.

Does the EasyPass do anything beyond access to the electronic passport gates? Thanks!

This is not entirely correct - you're mixing up two things: Landside/airsde is not determined by passport controls. If you fly into MUC, you're in any case airside. If you're on a Schengen flight (G-gates), you deplane to G-gates, and you can transfer to another flight within the Schengen area with no passport control or security. You're still airside, though. If you exit landside (through the baggage claim area), you're out of secure zone, and if you want to go back to catch your Schengen flight, you have to go through security. You don't need to go through passport control, because you're already in the Schengen area. If you're on anon-Schengen flight (arriving to H gates), connecting to a Schengen flight, you have to go through passport control, but even after you go through passport control, you're *still* airside, only in Schengen area airside.

So: security is mandatory when moving from airside to landside and vice-versa, and when arriving from non-clean airports. Passport control is only mandatory if a) arriving from a non-Schengen country and either exiting the airport altogether (going landside), or transferring to a Schengen flight (staying airside, but entering Schengen), or b) arriving from a Schengen country, or entering into airside from Munich city, and transferring to a non-Schengen destination. In scenario b) you will only pass through security if you're entering from landside (Munich city). Non-Schengen to non-Schengen flights will not require passport control, but might require security.

... and that time must include the possible delay at security going back into the airport. Because if you fly into MUC, you're never landside, you're only possibly airside in Schengen.

No.

I tried to exit Germany at FRA using the e-Gates and was directed to see an officer. Perhaps it because it entered the EU through Italy (MXP). I did not have time to go to the Federal Police to see if I was still in the system.

Until EES is deployed, you always need to see an officer as you need to be stamped in or out.

Yeah, I tried exiting FRA through the Z Gates automated lanes that say EasyPass, and even the first gate wouldn’t open. As there was no line for the manned desks, I just went there. The officer I got was very surly and didn’t like my attempts at answering the questions he was posing to me, so I didn’t even ask if my EasyPass enrollment showed in his system.

Oh, well, guess I’ll try at entry next time if EES isn’t deployed by then.

My wife recently applied for EasyPass at FRA. No issues and she was approved. She asked if it will work when entering other EU countries and the agent said it should. I find this hard to believe. It is only for arrival at German airports from non-Schengen origins where EasyPass is useful, no? We're flying USA-HEL later this year and I don't think she should use the e-gates there, correct?

AFAIR the system is only for entry at German border crossings. There is no 'approval' process like for Global Entry, they just add your passport details and biometrics to their database.

And a background check.

To your point, easyPass is only at German airports with easyPass.

What background check? Unlike global entry Germany doesn't require the US to say anything about anyone.

We got registered for easyPass yesterday at FRA.

took about 10 min. Below were his answers to my questions

effectively immediately (didn’t test as we are already through)
only good at German Airports
didnt not know about the impact of upcoming EES. He stated “That’s a long way off”
only good for 1 year

hope this helps

Bundespolizei run some check while you are in the enrollment office. When I enrolled years ago, they asked if I owe a restaurant during enrollment. I don't owe a business or work anywhere remotely related to the food industry.

It should be valid for the life of the passport.

https://www.easypass.de/EasyPass/EN/.../rtp_node.html

It should be valid for the life of the passport.

https://www.easypass.de/EasyPass/EN/.../rtp_node.html[/QUOTE]


that was my understanding. Was just passing along his answers

They just look you up in the SIS. For GE they vet applicants in the German central justice database and the US does a more thorough investigation about applicants.

On my most recent trip to Germany, I entered the EU through MXP. When I tried to use the E-Gates at MUC to return to the US, I was directed to see a human. I think thatI was not allowed to use the E-Gates because the system did not have me entering Germany.

I've been hit or miss in using the e-gates entering and exiting Germany. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I'm not sure if it's a glitch or by design. It was saved me likley missing a connection in FRA on a trip, so when it works, it's very nice to have.

When it directed you to a human, was that a human behind the e-gates, or did it tell you to enter the regular line?

If I am arriving at FRA from the USA as a global entry member, where would I go to enroll in EasyPass? Thanks!

Global entry has no relevance. Anyone with a US passport can sign up.

The office in FRA is landside:

Is this still accurate re FRA location? I was there about 2 months ago and couldn't find it, and anyone I asked (airport employees and police walking around) had no idea what I was talking about...

Has been same location for many years (pre-COVID).

Yes it is definitely hidden. Federal Police Service Center is located Terminal 1 Level 3 between T1 main check-in area (Level 2) and the Skyline train (Level 4). From main check-in area, look for signs to the Skyline train to Terminal 2 and you take the stairs/escalators to go from Level 2 to Level 3. Make a hard right U-turn after the escalator/stairs. If you reached the Skyline train, you've gone too far and need to go back down to Level 3.

Frankfurt Airport map with navigation - Search for Federal Police. Select only result of Federal Police Service Center. Click Navigation.

My understanding is that its good for the life of the passport. However when I enrolled in FRA at the end of February 2025 (or very early March) they told me the same thing (only good for 1 year). Given both of our experiences were at FRA we could have had the same agent who is potentially misinformed or there will be a change when EES comes online. Regardless, it saved me at least 30 minutes in line this morning on a connection in FRA onto MAD.

I enrolled two weeks ago at DUS. No mention of only 1 year. Website still states for the life of the passport.

Previously enrolled my USA passport last year. Attempted to exit in the EastPass lane at FRA this morning and was declined. I'm assuming it was because I entered Schengen in France, but it was worth a shot. Fortunately, the passport lane was only five minutes. I will be entering Schengen in BER next month, so I'm hoping I will finally get some use of my enrollment.

Honestly, it feels like a waste of time for anyone not specifically flying in and out of Germany at least 2-3 times a year. Really wish they had something for Schengen. I would happily pay for the privilege.

In the end, the espace Schengen is 29 different countries and we haven't harmonised our entry exit systems yet.

CDG is great for that because various non-EU passeport holders can use the automated queues for entry and exit without registering, and I know AMS allows that on exit. The systems in Germany just never seem to work reliably; I'm a permanent resident and the EU queue never works for me so I go to manual queue, only to have the angry agent say "use the automated one" and me reply "it refuses my passport". :rolleyes: Thankfully I don't generally enter/exit Schengen in Germany.

Entering in France and exiting Germany has nothing to do with it. Pre-COVID, it worked on exit regardless of which country you enter.

It could be that the FRA agent mentioned earlier by another poster is correct that it is only valid for one year despite website indicating life of passport (and historically it was valid for life of passport). I too newly enrolled last year but didn't have an opportunity to use at all until this year. E-gate into Germany rejected it.

Can confirm that it worked at FRA exit last month for my wife (after entering Schengen in Spain)…

…. and her registration with the Bundespolizei was at least five years ago.

If it’s really just good for a year now, we won’t bother with it when the passport renews later this year.

Exit doesn't require any registration anymore. Everyone from certain countries (incl the US) above 12 with a biometric passport can use the egates to exit.

I registered my passport at MUC less than 12 months ago, so it was not a timeout issue. When I scanned the my passport at the EasyPass gate, I got an X on the screen. I attempted to ask the agent standing there if I was required to enter via Germany to use the exit gate, but the UK flag on his name badge apparently didn't actually mean that he speaks/understands English, so I gave up and entered the regular queue. FWIW, I entered Schengen via the Eurostar a week earlier.

Hmm, is that documented anywhere? Because the same gate that let my wife pass with her registered US passport rejected mine right afterwards (senior moment; not sure why I even tried it when I knew I had to use my EU passport).