Originally Posted by Lou71

A rant? I have written fewer words than yourself. Irishman? Who said anything about my being a man, I have not revealed my gender. An Irish passport by the back door? There is no such thing. Jealous, much.

Originally Posted by Pollyana

As a UK/Australian citizen likely to be entering Spain a fair bit in the next few years, I've been following the thread.
Might be of interest to people to hear the Australian experience with e-gates. They've been used here for a few years, for citizens of various countries, s well as Aus passport holders. Tourists here either need a visa, or an e-visitor, which is much the same as the proposed electronic entry authorisation for the Schengen area. Its all recorded electronically in the system and linked to the passport number. The traveller presents the passport, is matched to the passport photo, and the gate opens. Takes a few seconds - even for idiots like me who have to keep putting glasses on to read the instructions before removing them again for the photo-comparison!
Its quick, easy, and cuts hours off the queueing time to get through passport control.

Originally Posted by Red Eric

A system as major as this isn't designed and implemented without detailed planning. Part of that will include decisions like to whom it will apply and money will be spent on consultancy, studies and reports as part of the decision-making process. Things will be known prior to the system being commissioned. It isn't just drawn on the back of a fag packet in the days prior to implementation, with a few bods sitting round a table asking how one thing or another might pan out.

Originally Posted by Red Eric

I don't have a fear of the 90/180 rule. It doesn't apply to me in my country of residence or in my crossing of external Schengen borders to get there. I just need to ensure that I use the correct procedure in order to avoid creating problems for myself.

Originally Posted by Red Eric

The reason I cited that particular article was because the journalist had taken the trouble to contact the European Commission, who are the authority on the subject and who will have commisssioned and acted upon the consultancy, studies and reports I referred to above. They will be best placed to know the current thinking about how to handle TCNs resident in the Schengen area, so I'll continue to take their word over yours when it comes to understanding what might be (or is, when it's implemented) expected of us.

Originally Posted by Red Eric

You made that up. I said no such thing.

What I said was that we would have to seek out a border officer and present our documents. There was no mention or implication of waving, strolling or wafting. In a previous post on another thread on the same topic, I made it perfectly clear that I think that will mean us joining the slowest-moving queue, so I agree with you ( ) that this process will involve us residents in a whole load more more arse-achery than will be encountered by the average tourist.

Originally Posted by Pollyana;[url=tel:13134856

13134856[/url]]As a UK/Australian citizen likely to be entering Spain a fair bit in the next few years, I've been following the thread.
Might be of interest to people to hear the Australian experience with e-gates. They've been used here for a few years, for citizens of various countries, s well as Aus passport holders. Tourists here either need a visa, or an e-visitor, which is much the same as the proposed electronic entry authorisation for the Schengen area. Its all recorded electronically in the system and linked to the passport number. The traveller presents the passport, is matched to the passport photo, and the gate opens. Takes a few seconds - even for idiots like me who have to keep putting glasses on to read the instructions before removing them again for the photo-comparison!
Its quick, easy, and cuts hours off the queueing time to get through passport control.

Originally Posted by UKMS

...however the article itself is flawed on some aspects IMHO...

Originally Posted by Red Eric

Such as?

Originally Posted by UKMS

Yes …. Exactly my experience in Australia and many other countries successfully using e-gates. My wife and I recently travelled to Brisbane and this has been subject of much comment by us since then as to how efficient it was all the way through from registration on the app to our arrival and transition through the airport.

Originally Posted by Mark604

With residency in an EU country that isn't Spain, the e-gates in Spain still refuse my UK passport. There doesn't appear to be a link. I have to go to the non-EU passport booth and have it accepted there.
In fact, I haven't yet found an e-gate in an EU country (and Germany was mentioned which I can also attest to) that doesn't spit it back out. Obviously I've not tried every one, but four or five countries.

Originally Posted by Mark604

You were talking about the future, I get it. I was under the mistaken impression when you said the following you were on about currently . "Also the suggestion that non EU citizens with residency should avoid e-gates (on a state of the art system) is either rubbish or indicates that EU countries have no idea who should or shouldn’t be residing there if your status is not linked to your passport. If the EU can link a visa to your passport and count the 90/180 from your passport then they should be able to link your residency status, would you not think ?"

Originally Posted by UKMS

Also the suggestion that non EU citizens with residency should avoid e-gates (on a state of the art system) is either rubbish or indicates that EU countries have no idea who should or shouldn’t be residing there if your status is not linked to your passport. If the EU can link a visa to your passport and count the 90/180 from your passport then they should be able to link your residency status, would you not think ?

Originally Posted by UKMS

I respect that you would rather listen to the journalist, however just think about what I say above for one second.

Originally Posted by Red Eric

Yes, that is precisely what I thought until I found out that they are not intending to do that. Not that it's not possible - just that it has been considered and dismissed.


It's not a matter of what I'd rather. It's a matter of facts. I trust the journalist to have done their job, ie asking questions of the right people and accurately reporting the responses. In this case it's the EU Commission speaking, as opposed to the journalist giving their own opinion. That's good enough for me. I have also double-checked it with information published on the Commission's own website, where it resides in a slightly less readable form.