Which immigration/passport queue to use
Oct 22, 2012, 12:41 am
#1
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Which immigration/passport queue to use
Quick question - if a man and wife (one EU Schengen citizen/one US citizen) enter the UK at LHR, can they queue in the faster EU line together? I know when entering the US it is permitted to use the US residents queue together.
Thanks
Thanks
Oct 22, 2012, 3:52 am
#2
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)By the way, Schengen has nothing to do with this as the UK is outside the Schengen area. But EU (+ UK) has its own queues (as you know) and as all Schengen is inside EU (with exception of Switzerland), this is immaterial in this case.
Oct 22, 2012, 4:15 am
#3
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Oct 22, 2012, 4:49 am
#4
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Last time we did this the UK/EU person did not have the correct stamp, was directed to the man that seems to have the only stamp, who then said "I am closed, I have to interview this person, you will need to join another queue". Tossers.
Oct 22, 2012, 4:54 am
#5
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Oct 22, 2012, 5:32 am
#6
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What may, however, be relevant to others that might look at this thread in the future is that most (if not all?) UK airports treat citizens of non-EU Schengen countries the same as they treat EU nationals - the "EU" queue actually says "EU/EEA and Switzerland" at most airports.
Oct 22, 2012, 7:49 am
#7
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What may, however, be relevant to others that might look at this thread in the future is that most (if not all?) UK airports treat citizens of non-EU Schengen countries the same as they treat EU nationals - the "EU" queue actually says "EU/EEA and Switzerland" at most airports.
Oct 27, 2012, 6:50 am
#8
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I think in some airports some of the agents staffing EU desks may not be trained to interview/question non-EU arrivals.
Oct 27, 2012, 9:51 am
#9
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But... non-EU spouse of EU citizen has a more-or-less automatic right of entry when travelling with EU spouse, so this should not be an issue in this particular cases
Oct 27, 2012, 10:21 am
#11
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The issue is if they need a stamp in their passport as it would seem that only certain people can do that now. That or they are cutting back on the number of stamps that they give to staff and they are having to share it around.
Oct 27, 2012, 9:33 pm
#12
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We've done this many times -- my wife is a US citizen. You can join the EU queue together, but make sure you've filled out a landing card. Never had the issue of not having stamps, so I find that one experience rather the exception not the rule.
As a point of interest, I find that the US does not allow the US/non-US parties to both join the US queue. I'm interested to hear that the OP had found it to be so.
tb
As a point of interest, I find that the US does not allow the US/non-US parties to both join the US queue. I'm interested to hear that the OP had found it to be so.
tb
Oct 28, 2012, 3:11 am
#13
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We've done this many times -- my wife is a US citizen. You can join the EU queue together, but make sure you've filled out a landing card. Never had the issue of not having stamps, so I find that one experience rather the exception not the rule.
As a point of interest, I find that the US does not allow the US/non-US parties to both join the US queue. I'm interested to hear that the OP had found it to be so.
tb
As a point of interest, I find that the US does not allow the US/non-US parties to both join the US queue. I'm interested to hear that the OP had found it to be so.
tb
Oct 28, 2012, 3:18 am
#14
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Although that is more or less true, the spouse of an EU citizen who has the nationality of a 'visa country' still requires a visa ('entry permit' it appears to be called in the UK). Now that visa is granted more or less automatically (by European law it cannot be denied unless on very specific grounds), it is still a pain in the you-know-where. And if you don't have that visa, they will probably give you an enormous amount of uphill before allowing you into the country (although I don't believe they can refuse you, except for the same very specific grounds as above - like when the spouse is a known criminal)
Oct 28, 2012, 6:36 am
#15
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I'm aware of the need for an entry permit for visa nationals... but as my reply was aimed at the OP (whose spouse is a US citizen) I didn't mention it.