Can I Bring my Non-EU Passport Child Through the EU Line at LHR?
 

I have an EU passport, and my minor son has a US passport.

I have taken him with me through the EU line at AMS and CDG. But, I know that British passport control is more finicky.

Anyone have any experience bringing a non-EU family member through the EU line at a British airport?

Not in England. But in Copenhagen. No problem with my partner.
Just told them we travelled as a family.

Your child is a minor. It should work Cant promise though. All depends on the person who looks at the passport.

At LHR, it's been ok about 140 times in the last 24 months for my family doing just as you wish to do. Not one negative comment from any UKBA employee about doing so.

Even non-EU/EFTA/EEC nationals who have infants or toddlers are often directed -- late at night at LHR -- to use the shorter/emptied out EU national line at LHR after that line is cleared but the non-EU/EFTA/EEC line is substantively backed up. See this at LHR T5 and T3.

You won't have a problem with the UKBA if you do that. You might get annoyed looks from other pax in the EU/EEA queue.

Not usually, but make sure to have the landing card for non-EU/EEA filled out for such persons prior to getting into the line.

Don't do that - UKBA will really kick your son to another line...

GUWonder posted above that he's done it about 140 times.

Are you saying that you know someone who has tried it and the non-EU/EEA family member was "kicked" to another line, or are you stating an opinion not based on actual experience?

My relatives who are young minors have yet to get kicked out of the line and separated from the EU Schengen national parent/s in the last two years, and that is on a 1-2 times per week basis.

I was kicked by using a UK Passport on that line.

So everything is possible.

I have a very hard time seeing minors being seperated from the adults.

Somebody has to look after the minor and I bet that customs dont want that.

Then they would need a customer agent acting as a "baysitter".

Cant really see that.

I really don't understand that response.

The relevant information would be whether you are aware of individuals with non-EU/EEA passports passing through passport control with a family member possessing an EU/EEA passport in the EU/EEA line at a British airport, where the non EU/EEA family members were either let through, or not let through.

GUWonder addressed that issue directly. Do you actually have any information related to my inquiry?

I dont know if your last reply was to me.

Yes I have a EU passport and yes I have been able ( without a problem) to get a US passpost holder through passports control for EU holders without any kind of problems.

The reply was not directed to you (it was directed to the poster that I quoted in my post.)

But, thank you for the valuable information. You are now the second poster with actual positive experience in this area.

I thought it was the other poster.
Was just not 100% sure.

Like I said you are a family. And if they want you 2 in different lines they have to have another person watching /taking care of your child.

And I really cant see that happening.

Stand your grounds if they say different. I think it will be fine.

One alternative is sending parent and child into the same line which happens to be the non-EU/EEA line after rejecting them at the EU/EEA line. But given my family's experiences in the last 24 months, it would seem to me that such rejection would be an exception rather than the general outcome.

For unrelated parties where minors are not involved, the outcome would likely be different, but this thread's question relates to EU parent with accompanying non-EU minor -- separation makes little to no sense indeed.