Jun 4, 2019, 6:52 am
Last edit by: stut
ePassport gates, new countries, passport requirements, experience and wait times. Any volunteers?
ePassport Gates Master Thread [was: Opening up the e-Gates to new countries]
May 22, 2019, 5:31 am
#121
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It would be nice to get a bit more feedback form people that have also used it to see what the experience is like.
May 22, 2019, 6:00 am
#122
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I would not worry that if paper landing cards are abandoned that Fast Track invitations, to the extent required, will be abandoned as well. Crew have simple instructions as to all formalities to accomplish and, if they are provided with and instructed to do so, they will make a pass through the cabin with the invites.
As always, there will always be outliers. But, that is unavoidable in any large operation.
As always, there will always be outliers. But, that is unavoidable in any large operation.
May 22, 2019, 6:07 am
#123
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Yes but my point is that a whole lot of BA premium customers do not have eligible passports for the E-gates. Add to that adults from the approved countries who are traveling with little people. So they have to or should keep the fast track open for them. For individual adult Americans, YMMV.
May 22, 2019, 6:07 am
#124
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Exactly. I'm on a Tier 4 Visa. I cannot enter as a visitor. I've been using the e-gates without issue as my RT account is linked to my passport+BRP. Without that link, I'm not sure what I'll end up doing. I'll undoubtedly find out soon enough in person though.
May 22, 2019, 6:10 am
#125
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Yet the poster indicates that longer term student visitors from the US wouldn't need to get their passports stamped after using the egates.
I have to wonder if they now assume that longer term student visitors at UK ports of entry are lower risk than short-term student visitors and thus the longer term student visitors at UK ports of entry are in less need of at-airport passport stamping and the opportunity it may provide to question passengers.
I do also have to wonder if the process has any guaranteed way to make sure that a US passport user who is supposed to get a UK entry stamp actually gets a UK entry stamp.
I have to wonder if they now assume that longer term student visitors at UK ports of entry are lower risk than short-term student visitors and thus the longer term student visitors at UK ports of entry are in less need of at-airport passport stamping and the opportunity it may provide to question passengers.
I do also have to wonder if the process has any guaranteed way to make sure that a US passport user who is supposed to get a UK entry stamp actually gets a UK entry stamp.
That said, from a few people I know on Tier 4 visas who have used RT, we've not been getting our passports regularly stamped.
May 22, 2019, 7:42 am
#126
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I would not worry that if paper landing cards are abandoned that Fast Track invitations, to the extent required, will be abandoned as well. Crew have simple instructions as to all formalities to accomplish and, if they are provided with and instructed to do so, they will make a pass through the cabin with the invites.
As always, there will always be outliers. But, that is unavoidable in any large operation.
As always, there will always be outliers. But, that is unavoidable in any large operation.
May 22, 2019, 1:15 pm
#130
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May 22, 2019, 2:25 pm
#131
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Research students and academics, typically in receipt of funding or salaried, now apply for a Standard Visitors Visa since Business Visitor Visas have been abolished. Undergraduate level studies will typically be T4 / GSV.
May 22, 2019, 2:30 pm
#132
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In light of the common travel area with the Irish Republic - I wonder if the UK government obtained approval from the Irish to allow non-EU nationals to use the epassport gates? It means Americans can make their way into the Irish Republic without coming into contact with a British or Irish immigration officer.
May 22, 2019, 2:33 pm
#133
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Currently you can use FT in LHR T3 and T5, though I can't think of a single good reason for doing this. Queue length for the machines tend to be counted in few seconds than Fast Track counted in minutes.
May 22, 2019, 2:38 pm
#134
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You should keep your own records however, not least in case you find yourself in the future contemplating indefinite leave to remain or citizenship.
May 22, 2019, 3:30 pm
#135
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The wait time to get to an egate machine and clear it at T3 and at T5 is at times longer than the time to wait and clear manually via Fast Track. That is as good a reason as any to want to continue to do what I've been doing often enough for my benefit: making a choice about which way to go, to save myself time, even as I've been able to use the egates, when I want, courtesy of RT membership.