To warn you not to travel to Prague by plane on a non-EU passport

My point is that if Cameron hadn’t gone to an ill-thought out and divisive referendum, where the difference was only 2% (of those who voted) all UK citizens would still have EU passports and we wouldn’t be subject to the EES process.

Had a 2.hpur wait in Prague in July. The machines not is fairly quick.

However when at least 700 people are queuing and there are only 6 booths open it was carnage.

I have no idea why you need to be seen I person. I thought the scans did all the checks? Otherwise what's the point? It was less bad leaving.

Not convinced it does remember you. Been in Hamburg twice this year and both times, 5 mins at the machines 2 hours queueing for a booth.

Rome (Fiumicino) a month ago, special section for UK, US and Canada, literally no queue at all. We were through security in 2 minutes.

US has been OK last few times we’ve been. Small queue, few questions, off we pop.

Greece is the only place getting it right. 🇬🇷

Nearly 2 hours at Athens last weekend to leave so Greece isn't getting it right everywhere!

Yeah. Check the rules before you go. 🤷‍♀️

It's just what happens when travelling to a foreign country. I just take it as part and parcel.

It takes fricking ages to get through Boston passport control. I always assume 1.5hr minimum for them to do the interviews (yes, interviews), fingerprints, photograph - all manual by people.

Meanwhile US citizens sail past in minutes.

It's just overseas travel.

I don’t need M15. I remember them all over Facebook!
I remember idiots posting that we’d be just like Norway on local groups - with salaries to match apparently 🤣

I don't this is happening everywhere. We had no problems either way in Alicante in August, nor in Crete a few weeks ago.

People can be wrongheaded and misguided in their view of the EU but they aren’t “abusive”. It’s just not appropriate to use that terminology in this situation.

Because of the mess, the countries that are significant tourist destinations were allowed some time ago to suspend operation of EES when they needed to to manage the flow of visitors. Now that option has been extended to other members too. So it really is luck of the draw. I’ve had no issues 4/5 times but a super long wait at Zurich at half term and another trip to another country but fine rest of the time.

No, it isn’t “just overseas travel”.

US citizens are allowed to use the e-gates when entering the UK.

Whereas UK citizens - and other non-US citizens - have to stand in line for up to an hour and undergo fingerprinting and interrogation before being allowed to enter the US.

Personally no one mentioned Norway to me and I am, as you will have guessed, a leaver. Wasn't Norway the ideal fed to Scots to leave in their referendum? So I guess you live in an area of high idiot quota!

Anyone with half a brain would know that initially the short term would be painful, but gains like not being included in the broken entry system would soon enough be an advantage

I had the questions too, I’d forgotten.

Yes have found that even if you have already done the bio check there isn’t a separate Q to then head straight to the border officer so seems everyone is doing bio check plus border desk

I'm only travelling by train now. Fuck planes.

Soon be an advantage? It’s been several years and we are still waiting. 🤣

No thankfully I live in an area which voted remain. But the few idiots who believed stuff about Norway were all over social media

No l don’t. Passport issues are a small but annoying problem. As for the other examples you site, Brexit has wrecked the economy, some UK companies have given up trying to trade with EU countries because of the red tape. And it has done nothing to sort emigration difficulties. What exactly is this sovereignty word which gets banded about? All EU member states have their own sovereignty.

@NotAnotherScarf "Anyone with half a brain would know that initially the short term would be painful, but gains like not being included in the broken entry system would soon enough be an advantage"

The EES system is not an EU system, it is an entry system for the Schengen Area, which includes most, but not all of the EU countries and some countries that are not in the EU at all such as Norway and Switzerland.

Ireland and Cyprus are EU countries not in Schengen, and the UK would not have been in Schengen if the country has remained in the EU, and so would not have been "included in the broken entry system" - but like citizens of Ireland and Cyprus, UK citizens would have been able to freely travel into and out of the Schengen Area without registering for EES (or for the forthcoming ETIAS).

I think it depends what time your flight landed and how many customs staff they have on etc. we had the same issue in Majorca in May. Passport control queue was 2hrs.

I see. That UK citizens (and others) have a higher friction experience is down to US decision making though. It's not something that is worth getting wound up about because it is completely out of my control.

OFGS Athens is dealing with peak record numbers. Greece has handled approximately 20 million visitors this summer - and with grace.

Feel free to go elsewhere. 2 hours is fuck all. Unless whining is your thing, in which case, stay home.

I go through Dublin or Shannon to US when I can using the pre clearance, Border control and customs is a breeze and often get a smile from the US staff. No waits on landing in US, straight out the door.