Lesson learned: If you are trying to smuggle out hi-tech Management Techniques, start your journey at St. Pancras. B.t.w. I travelled St. Pancras - Brussels and was not asked any questions.
@austrian addick Where do you live in Austria and for how long? (PM me if you prefer. Or just ignore me:-)). There is an occasional poster with the name Vienna Addick
Never been questioned at all when re-entering the UK, always amazes me how casual the Border Control is compared to here.
Now I have an Australian passport getting in and out of here is a breeze but when I was travelling on a UK passport the Customs guys could be a pain in the arse at times.
As a very frequent traveler the worst two countries to enter are the US - where they ask you ridiculous questions such as "Do you travel a lot?" when they have a passport in their hands with more stamps than the Post Office - and China where it can take them 30 minutes to process 3 people and you can get stuck there for hours.
Honorable mention to the Israeli Border Patrol at the Allenby Bridge crossing into the Palestinian Territories, although that is a bit of a different case.
I regret I have to disagree with the result of those surveys. I wonder which parts of Vienna those people ever visited and what their criteria are... Vienna is a playground of eastern European gangs. I wonder how many elderly ladies there are left here whose purse was not stolen (yet).
You mention somewhere on the thread that you can't be stopped from movement between countries due to 'previous'.
And that just because you have similar previous it does not mean you should be assumed to have committed another similar crime.
That may be true.....unless your an England football fan.
1.Suddenly a previous conviction does mean you can't travel abroad if a football game is on.
2. You may have done nothing but can be stopped from travelling because someone believes you MAY cause problems.
3. You will be interrogated when leaving the Country just because you look like a certain type of fan going to the football.
4. Your record (passport) will always carry details about your previous and you'll be detained anywhere because of it.
And this is for fighting (at worst) - not murder.
So are there laws or not? Or does it only apply when your a football fan?
I am not sure of the exact legal mechanics, but I think you are correct in your final sentence in that the UK government can exercise special discretionary powers to restrict travel of certain individuals during big tournaments or big matches.
I do agree that these powers - considering the 'dragnet' nature of football policing - can easily be badly misused.
I don't want to come over all Daily Mail, but this could well have happened on the day the Border Police were busy asking me what kind of consultancy I have...
I don't want to come over all Daily Mail, but this could well have happened on the day the Border Police were busy asking me what kind of consultancy I have...
Maybe they thought she was on her way to Prague...;-)
PS Do you have any opinions on this place? U Malého Glena Jazz & Blues club
Used to go and see Stan in Prague a lot a decade ago - I see has moved. Wondered what it was like.
As for the place, I don't like it. It's way too small. Intimate is one thing but having a cymbal right next to your ear is quite another. I do go to live jazz and rock clubs in Prague, it's one of the pleasures of living here, several of them, all at reasonable prices. The new hot one is Jazz Dock. Lovely space floating on a pontoon on the river.
I don't want to come over all Daily Mail, but this could well have happened on the day the Border Police were busy asking me what kind of consultancy I have...
Well I complained. I provided the dialogue verbatim and stressed that my main concern is whether stopping someone with my appearance and passport type is a sensible deployment of their time, when they are constantly complaining of being under-resourced. Finally today (after 75 days) they replied, and only after I threatened to take the issue to my MP if they didn't reply. Here it is...words in bold are my emphasis or addition
They are empowered to ask relevant questions of any passenger in order to establish identity and nationality (that is what a passport does) and whether or not cash or seizable or excisable commodities are being moved illegally into or out of the country. In addition they are also empowered to ask questions under section 7 of the Counter Terrorism Act to establish that a passenger is not involved in carrying out acts of terrorism or in the preparation of acts of terrorism. It is inevitable that during the course of our activities some travellers will find themselves subject to Border Force checks. However, I can assure you we have no wish to intervene in anyone’s journey more than is absolutely necessary to fulfil these important duties. On this occasion the operational manager is satisfied the questions asked were legitimate and commensurate with legislation and the officer was carrying out his duties in line with Border Force departmental policy.
Anyone who has met me, knows my age etc, and knows that on the day i was dressed "semi-formal" will probably join me in wondering how the Border Force will ever catch illegal immigrants when they are managed by idiots (by which i mean the superiors of the officer concerned who trained him and help him plan his daily work).
border police stop searching white guys in suits - criminals start dressing up as white guys in suits. It's pretty straight forward they have to give a middle aged, middle class white man the same treatment as a young muslim returning from the middle east in full islamic regalia
Yesterday at Ebbsfleet before boarding the Eurostar, I of course had to show my passport. I didn't really expect the Spanish Inquisition, and maybe this wasn't it, but how many of you have had to answer so many tedious questions when you are a British citizen leaving the the UK?
- Where are you travelling to?
- Brussels
- and what will you be doing there?
- Actually I am travelling on to Prague
- I see, and what are you doing there?
- I live there now
- And what do you do there, are you retired or something?
- I wish. I have my own small business there
- And what kind of business?
- A consultancy
- and what kind of consultancy? (at this point I started to think he was taking the piss)
- Human resources
- and what were you doing in the UK, was that business ?
- visiting friends and family
- OK thank you sir, please pass on to my colleague from French border control (the French official - whose territory I was effectively entering - glanced at my passport and waved me through)
Now it really didn't threaten my journey and didn't last long, but honestly, what was the point of all that? What TF business is it of a UK border official what kind of work I do in Prague, especially when I am leaving rather than entering the UK?
It seems to me the Border Police really don't like Eurostar as I have witnessed a lot of aggressive questioning of obviously innocent EU citizens at Brussels, building up stressful queues in the process. Its as if they resent people choosing the train so as to avoid their endless queues at Luton or Heathrow. Now I read that they have an unpleasant surprise for those who think that by taking the new Eurostar direct from Marseilles they can avoid all that crap. They will make passengers get off at Lille, with all their luggage, go through their frigging control, and get on another Eurostar two hours later. Effectively sabotaging Eurostar's "direct" service.
WTF?
as @Kentaddick writes, this is possibly a rock and a hard place situation for the 'border patrol' .. they are probably checking to see who's a potential recruit for the various factions in the Middle East .. if they only question people of a middle eastern/Asian appearance there would be accusations of racial profiling or suchlike .. we live in sensitive times, though I do appreciate that being asked a lot of personal questions is annoying .. I could relate a story about an experience I had forty or so years ago .. but it is (yawn) a l o n g story
Would you prefer there was a separate channel at Border Control for people who don't think they should have to answer questions?
Seems like a load of fuss about nothing.
I realise that you only come on here to wind up but for the benefit of others I'll repeat; at Gatwick this cannot happen because a machine has replaced these clowns. The bloke at Ebbsfleeet is stealing a living, and, to quote your favourite paper, it's YOUR money that's paying for it
Would you prefer there was a separate channel at Border Control for people who don't think they should have to answer questions?
Seems like a load of fuss about nothing.
I realise that you only come on here to wind up but for the benefit of others I'll repeat; at Gatwick this cannot happen because a machine has replaced these clowns. The bloke at Ebbsfleeet is stealing a living, and, to quote your favourite paper, it's YOUR money that's paying for it
I can see your point about consistency; when you compare it to Gatwick it is ridiculous - and I'm presuming this is Prague's point.
I've used Gatwick to Copenhagen for work, and recently for a friendly visit; each time I've just thrown my stuff on a conveyor belt and it's been checked by a machine. My passport? It's been scanned by an electronic scanner and then given the eyeball from someone who works for the airline. Done and dusted. No more.
The exact same thing occurred when I used Gatwick for Marrakech, and Gatwick to Dubrovnik twice - all those times in the past 18 months.
If it's so essential then why on earth aren't UKBF doing this everywhere? In fact, how come I've been through a major UK airport 12 times in the past 18 months and never seen, let alone interacted, anyone from UKBF?
On the contrary, I don't think UKBF should avoid questioning people (and I doubt Prague is saying this too) - but they should be questioning people consistently when crossing our borders; regardless of their chosen mode of travel.
Would you prefer there was a separate channel at Border Control for people who don't think they should have to answer questions?
Seems like a load of fuss about nothing.
I realise that you only come on here to wind up but for the benefit of others I'll repeat; at Gatwick this cannot happen because a machine has replaced these clowns. The bloke at Ebbsfleeet is stealing a living, and, to quote your favourite paper, it's YOUR money that's paying for it
I can see your point about consistency; when you compare it to Gatwick it is ridiculous - and I'm presuming this is Prague's point.
I've used Gatwick to Copenhagen for work, and recently for a friendly visit; each time I've just thrown my stuff on a conveyor belt and it's been checked by a machine. My passport? It's been scanned by an electronic scanner and then given the eyeball from someone who works for the airline. Done and dusted. No more.
The exact same thing occurred when I used Gatwick for Marrakech, and Gatwick to Dubrovnik twice - all those times in the past 18 months.
If it's so essential then why on earth aren't UKBF doing this everywhere? In fact, how come I've been through a major UK airport 12 times in the past 18 months and never seen, let alone interacted, anyone from UKBF?
On the contrary, I don't think UKBF should avoid questioning people (and I doubt Prague is saying this too) - but they should be questioning people consistently when crossing our borders; regardless of their chosen mode of travel.
Strikes me as odd that Prague got the shake-down when leaving the UK at Ebbsfleet, yet whenever I've entered the UK at Dover via Calais (which I've done 5 times) there's been diddly squat at either end, and considering how the French are doing everything in their power to ease the transit of illegals through their territory into the UK, I would have thought this was a slightly higher priority than those leaving at Ebbsfleet.
There are pre departure security checks at airports whereby you have to record your passport details at least two days before you depart. That's probably why airport security seems reduced - so they can focus on key threats.
Comments
B.t.w. I travelled St. Pancras - Brussels and was not asked any questions.
Where do you live in Austria and for how long? (PM me if you prefer. Or just ignore me:-)). There is an occasional poster with the name Vienna Addick
Now I have an Australian passport getting in and out of here is a breeze but when I was travelling on a UK passport the Customs guys could be a pain in the arse at times.
As a very frequent traveler the worst two countries to enter are the US - where they ask you ridiculous questions such as "Do you travel a lot?" when they have a passport in their hands with more stamps than the Post Office - and China where it can take them 30 minutes to process 3 people and you can get stuck there for hours.
Honorable mention to the Israeli Border Patrol at the Allenby Bridge crossing into the Palestinian Territories, although that is a bit of a different case.
Just lacks that naughty edge that makes every day in Prague interesting, though....:-)
Also many parts of the city aren't clean.
And there is lack of a proper fotball Club too.
You mention somewhere on the thread that you can't be stopped from movement between countries due to 'previous'.
And that just because you have similar previous it does not mean you should be assumed to have committed another similar crime.
That may be true.....unless your an England football fan.
1.Suddenly a previous conviction does mean you can't travel abroad if a football game is on.
2. You may have done nothing but can be stopped from travelling because someone believes you MAY cause problems.
3. You will be interrogated when leaving the Country just because you look like a certain type of fan going to the football.
4. Your record (passport) will always carry details about your previous and you'll be detained anywhere because of it.
And this is for fighting (at worst) - not murder.
So are there laws or not? Or does it only apply when your a football fan?
I do agree that these powers - considering the 'dragnet' nature of football policing - can easily be badly misused.
I don't want to come over all Daily Mail, but this could well have happened on the day the Border Police were busy asking me what kind of consultancy I have...
PS Do you have any opinions on this place?
U Malého Glena Jazz & Blues club
Used to go and see Stan in Prague a lot a decade ago - I see has moved. Wondered what it was like.
As for the place, I don't like it. It's way too small. Intimate is one thing but having a cymbal right next to your ear is quite another. I do go to live jazz and rock clubs in Prague, it's one of the pleasures of living here, several of them, all at reasonable prices. The new hot one is Jazz Dock. Lovely space floating on a pontoon on the river.
They are empowered to ask relevant questions of any passenger in order to establish identity and nationality (that is what a passport does) and whether or not cash or seizable or excisable commodities are being moved illegally into or out of the country. In addition they are also empowered to ask questions under section 7 of the Counter Terrorism Act to establish that a passenger is not involved in carrying out acts of terrorism or in the preparation of acts of terrorism.
It is inevitable that during the course of our activities some travellers will find themselves subject to Border Force checks. However, I can assure you we have no wish to intervene in anyone’s journey more than is absolutely necessary to fulfil these important duties. On this occasion the operational manager is satisfied the questions asked were legitimate and commensurate with legislation and the officer was carrying out his duties in line with Border Force departmental policy.
Anyone who has met me, knows my age etc, and knows that on the day i was dressed "semi-formal" will probably join me in wondering how the Border Force will ever catch illegal immigrants when they are managed by idiots (by which i mean the superiors of the officer concerned who trained him and help him plan his daily work).
I'm really inclined to take this up with my MP.
But you won't stop them this way.
Because they can.
Seems like a load of fuss about nothing.
I've used Gatwick to Copenhagen for work, and recently for a friendly visit; each time I've just thrown my stuff on a conveyor belt and it's been checked by a machine. My passport? It's been scanned by an electronic scanner and then given the eyeball from someone who works for the airline. Done and dusted. No more.
The exact same thing occurred when I used Gatwick for Marrakech, and Gatwick to Dubrovnik twice - all those times in the past 18 months.
If it's so essential then why on earth aren't UKBF doing this everywhere? In fact, how come I've been through a major UK airport 12 times in the past 18 months and never seen, let alone interacted, anyone from UKBF?
On the contrary, I don't think UKBF should avoid questioning people (and I doubt Prague is saying this too) - but they should be questioning people consistently when crossing our borders; regardless of their chosen mode of travel.