Passport stamping has become a bit of a problem since Brexit came into being and I’m not sure (at least in France) that anyone has got a handle on it. So one needs to be aware that maybe some border forces are making up their own rules based on what they think the rules are.
On the first day after Brexit day there were problems for UK passengers getting off the Eurostar. Some passports should have been stamped and others not.
The reasons being that the 90 days in 180days rule had come into force and without stamping passports how were they going to monitor and enforce the 90 day rule.
However there were exceptions to this rule ie UK nationals with French residency who should not have had their passports stamped.
Later by separate agreement, which might be only bilateral, those UK passport holders with a second home in France and a valid carte de sejour (I’ll call it that because I don’t know it’s real title )based on that came into being and again those UK passport holders should not have their passports stamped.
Somewhere in between both of these came a visa scheme for UK passport holders who had good reason to be in Schengen land/France for more than 90 days in 180 and they should not have been stamped.I think this is where we stand today and I think in the lack of further clarification and retraining from either the EU or France, the border force here is perhaps getting mixed messages and hence they are doing their own thing.
gallois wrote:
The reasons being that the 90 days in 180days rule had come into force and without stamping passports how were they going to monitor and enforce the 90 day rule.
With the Schengen Information System. We don’t live in the 1950’s anymore. All people entering the Schengen area are registered and, in principle, also when they exit.
The police can immediately check how long someone has been in the Schengen area once they have the passport number.
Has data sharing between the UK and EU been agreed in totality then? Or even the data on a passport that can be read electronically is there an agreement.for sharing? As far I know, the information on a passport is still subject to data protection laws.
The passport stamping ritual is just one example of the mindless “maximum inconvenience” implementation for Brexit, in this case on both sides.
Not only is the electronic registration 100 percent – no data sharing needed, both of UK and the Schengen area scan all passports on entry and exit at the Schengen / UK borders (with very few exceptions such as the border on Ireland within the CTA, there may be others, and there stamping doesn’t happen either).
But also, before Brexit there were restrictions on duration of stay. Freedom of movement does NOT grant everyone a right to live wherever they want, only if they study, work, or are self sufficient / retired. So if this were a genuine need passports should have been stamped forever, and even within Schengen.
This is simply a political move on both sides – In the UK as a symbol that “we are in control of the borders” and “Brexit is inconvenient and stupid” in the EU.
Cobalt wrote:
“maximum inconvenience” implementation for Brexit
This makes me laugh. The UK has always been “maximum inconvenience” long before Brexit. Just the simple process of changing planes in London when going to the US, is something you did exactly once, and you never did that mistake ever again.
Cobalt wrote:
Freedom of movement does NOT grant everyone a right to live wherever they want, only if they study, work, or are self sufficient / retired.
My understanding of Schengen is that is does. There may be limitations but I think they are in areas such as criminal record, etc.
Schengen is just the abolishment of border controls, the EU treaties grant the “freedom of movement”. This freedom was originally for “workers” and is contingent on being in work, studying or being self sufficient. If you are looking for work etc there are time limits, and until you have been in the country for a two years you will have to leave once unemployed for mor than 6 months. Schengen did bot change that.
The detail hugely depends on the country. the EU treaties grant minimum rights, what countries do on top of that can vary, and how they inplement it, too.
Just the simple process of changing planes in London when going to the US, is something you did exactly once,
It has often been said that Airports are hell, and I would add that Heathrow is probably one if the lower levels with special punishment.
Sadly most of this is irrelevant to the topic!
gallois wrote:
Has data sharing between the UK and EU been agreed in totality then? Or even the data on a passport that can be read electronically is there an agreement.for sharing? As far I know, the information on a passport is still subject to data protection laws.
The UK has nothing to do with the rules for UK citizens (or any other third country citizens) staying in the Schengen area so there is no reason why any data should be shared with the UK.
LeSving wrote:
Just the simple process of changing planes in London when going to the US, is something you did exactly once, and you never did that mistake ever again.
Heathrow is totally horrid. Once, when going from Sweden to Ireland with change of flight in Heathrow, I was subject to security controls 3 (!!!) times at Heathrow. Gatwick is much better.
