When are you in the European Community
Jun 24th, 2005, 06:05 PM
#1
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When are you in the European Community
After you clesr Immigration and customs at Heathrow are you now in the European Community and will not be required to go through the same when you then fly to Spain?
Jun 24th, 2005, 10:11 PM
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The European Union (as it now calls itself) is not a sovereign nation, though some of its dottier policymakers try to pretend it is.
When you've cleared immigration into the UK, you have freedom of movement only within the UK and (for most purposes) Ireland. If you travel to any foreign country, other than Ireland, you will need to go through their immigration system separately.
A number of EU (and some non-EU) nations have erected a common travel area, called Schengen, within which there are few border controls. Britain is not in this area and is therefore not constrained by its xenophobic rules. It therefore allows non-EU citizens longer, and more generous, residence periods and, unlike the insular Schengen states, allows ALL EU citizens the right to work. So if you fly from Britain to a Schengen country, you'll go through Schengen immigration.
Incidentally, the norm in Europe is that you don't go through immigration at all if you are just changing planes between two foreign countries (eg, US-London-Spain). There are a number of circumstances (such as if you're changing airports, or changing onto a low-cost airline) under which you might need to come through immigration. But you usually don't.
When you've cleared immigration into the UK, you have freedom of movement only within the UK and (for most purposes) Ireland. If you travel to any foreign country, other than Ireland, you will need to go through their immigration system separately.
A number of EU (and some non-EU) nations have erected a common travel area, called Schengen, within which there are few border controls. Britain is not in this area and is therefore not constrained by its xenophobic rules. It therefore allows non-EU citizens longer, and more generous, residence periods and, unlike the insular Schengen states, allows ALL EU citizens the right to work. So if you fly from Britain to a Schengen country, you'll go through Schengen immigration.
Incidentally, the norm in Europe is that you don't go through immigration at all if you are just changing planes between two foreign countries (eg, US-London-Spain). There are a number of circumstances (such as if you're changing airports, or changing onto a low-cost airline) under which you might need to come through immigration. But you usually don't.
Jun 25th, 2005, 08:37 AM
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Creflors,
Not surprising. The "non-xenophobic-contrarily-to-these-evil-Schengen-countries" UK usually has people coming from the Schengen area going through immigration control, while the "evil-xenophobic-Schengen-countries" generally don't do so for people coming from the UK.
Jun 25th, 2005, 08:46 AM
#6
Without passing comment on the political side, I am surprised that somebody was able to get on Eurostar without a passport check.
When I have travelled to Paris this way, there was certainly a check, made by French officials before I boarded the train at waterloo.
When I have travelled to Paris this way, there was certainly a check, made by French officials before I boarded the train at waterloo.
Jun 25th, 2005, 11:08 AM
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Hmmm....I may have mis-spoke but I don't remember anyone French at Waterloo. I was thinking more of going through customs once we got to Paris. Well, what's the first thing to go...the mind? If they did check my passport, and you guys are probably right, they didn't make a very big deal out of it because honestly, I really don't remember. Oh dear me..I'm scarin' myself here.
Jun 25th, 2005, 12:39 PM
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I flew from London to Paris last summer, and as soon as the immigration officer saw the cover of my Passport (American) he said: go!
But when I got back to London from Paris, I had to go through immigration all over again, and was asked about the purpose of my visit bla bla bla as if I were coming from the US!
But when I got back to London from Paris, I had to go through immigration all over again, and was asked about the purpose of my visit bla bla bla as if I were coming from the US!
Jun 27th, 2005, 04:37 AM
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mnss, citizens of the European Union are fast tracked when they enter the UK, but others aren't, even if they've arrived from another European country.
That's because we didn't sign up to Schengen so maintain our own border controls.
That's because we didn't sign up to Schengen so maintain our own border controls.
Jun 27th, 2005, 05:39 AM
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I went on the Eurostar in 2003 from London the Paris. I went through Immigration at Heathrow of course, where my passport was stamped. When we left London, a French agent checked my passport before I was allowed into the waiting area for the train, but did not stamp it that I was allowed into France, only checking that I had a stamp to be in the EU countries.
On the way back, we flew from Istanbul to London to connect to our flight home. We went through a passport check in Istanbul (we had to buy a visa for Turkey) and when we got to London, they had a sign for EU and "others" to go through. Well, thinking that I had the EU stamp, I confidently walked through the EU doors. Nobody checked me, but I realized later that I had made a mistake. No harm done, so I just went on home to the U.S.
Jules
On the way back, we flew from Istanbul to London to connect to our flight home. We went through a passport check in Istanbul (we had to buy a visa for Turkey) and when we got to London, they had a sign for EU and "others" to go through. Well, thinking that I had the EU stamp, I confidently walked through the EU doors. Nobody checked me, but I realized later that I had made a mistake. No harm done, so I just went on home to the U.S.
Jules
