visa check desk: What is this?
 

Some of my boarding passes obtained with Online checkin (Ryanair and BA) say that I need to go to a Visa check desk before clearing security?

What the heck is a visa check desk :confused::eek:?

Maybe it's an American version of a desk where you pay by credit card cheque.

it's a desk to check if you have correct visa/right of entry for an international flight. normally done by the agent at checkin, but since you did OLCI, they still have to check your passport.

I have been doing OLCI since ages (though this is the first time, I would be using BA and FR) and never saw something like this. Aren't the travel documents are checked at the gate? Infact I have never seen a visa check desk before in my life other than the "passport control" which ofcourse are after security not before. Who controls this desk - Airline or the airport?

Or is this because BA and FR, being the worst carriers in Europe, want to enhance :confused: their reputation further.

This is from the t&cs from Ryanair ...

To ensure compliance with Visa and Immigration requirements, non EU/EEA citizens must go to the Ryanair Visa/Immigration Desk at the airport to have their travel document approved for travel and their boarding pass validated prior to entering the airport security and screening area.

Not sure whether this applies to you, but it sounds like it needs to be done prior to the gate. I wonder if one-way flights to international destinations might have a similar requirement.

Very strange, has it something to do with UK regulations?

Do they normally check documents at the gate for flights to EU countries? If not, that may be the reason. As a non-EU passport holder, you could get onto one of those flights once through security.

My guess is that it's because the UK is not a Schengen country.

I do not think that Schengen is an issue. Just the airline policy for non EU/EEA passport holders. I have traveled to non-schengen countries and UK earlier but with other airlines (ofcourse, I need to go through immigration/passport control when going to a non-schengen destination but that is different)

So its kind of strange that only BA and FR have this requirement.

At T5 these are the closest desks to the check-in areas. You show your BP and your passport. They type something in, and they you're allowed to go thru security. If you don't do this, they won't let you go thru security.