Please explanation the immigration thing to me
 

So we took a train from Paris to Karlsruhe, Germany. Crossed the border, got off the train, and went on our merry way without anyone checking our passports, paperwork, etc.

So why is that when you take the same sort of trip via airplane, particularly to somewhere like Heathrow, they act as if you're Bin Laden's cousin, checking every document related to customs and immigration?

Do the terrorists know that getting from one country to the next via train is a snap?

Search and read about the :

Schengen Agreement

There was an agreement signed about 15-20yrs ago the Schengen Treaty which basically did away with internal/border controls between treaty signers. Some members have fully implemented the agreement, which includes removing passport controls, while others have not.

THe UK is an example of a country that has NOT fully implemented the treaty - for fear for being flooded with immigrants who have worked their way into the Schengen zone one way or another.

Also, If you took the same trip via plane (Germany to France) it would be no different than the train - basicially like a state-state border crossing in the US.

<<< Do the terrorists know that getting from one country to the next via train is a snap? >>>

If you had crossed from a non-Schengen country to a Schengen country - eg UK to France, then your passport would be checked.

If you had crossed from a non-Schengen country to a Schengen country BY TRAIN - eg UK to France, then your passport would be checked.

We don't have terrorists in Europe. ;)

"So why is that when you take the same sort of trip via airplane, particularly to somewhere like Heathrow, they act as if you're Bin Laden's cousin, checking every document related to customs and immigration?"

Obviously you have never tried to enter the US with anything other than a US passport. The welcome we "aliens" recieve there makes your welcome at Heathrow seem warm, believe me.

Confusion of flying internationally and within Europe versus trains, and what the terrorism concerns are. I've had my passport checked by several Germans carrying big guns when crossing by train from Germany into Poland.

As mentioned above, you will get your passports and other relative documents reviewed when you enter into the first Schengen country. Because LHR was your first stop in a Schengen country you will get your passports stamped there. If CDG happened to be your first stop it would be the same thing. Otherwise you just travel from one country to another without any border checks unless you are entering a non-Schengen country (such as Croatia).

Tracy

Of course there are always exceptions to my statement above. We flew directly from Detroit to Amsterdam a few years ago and I didn't even have to pull my passport out when we arrived, so I guess it just depends on the moods of the immigration workers.

Tracy

>>Obviously you have never tried to enter the US with anything other than a US passport. The welcome we "aliens" recieve there makes your welcome at Heathrow seem warm, believe me.<<

I have no idea what that has to do with the OP.

"Otherwise you just travel from one country to another without any border checks unless you are entering a non-Schengen country".

Not always. Each country has the right to control borders in case of security threats.

The Schengen countries do indeed have mobile immigration checks, particularly on the freeways. But this is more for customs (= drugs from NL) than immigration.

Immigration is one thing, customs is another. I live near the Spanish border and believe me, when there are ETA threats (or the King visits the area)., Schengen or not, you are stopped at the border by the police and not by customs officers.

&quot;<i>Because LHR was your first stop in a Schengen country . . . . .</i>&quot;

LHR/the UK are not in Schengen.

janis, you are right and I apologize. I did a paper on the Schengen Agreement for school a few years so you would think tht I would know the difference!! Sometimes I forget that the UK is not a part of the Schengen Agreement since it is an EU member, and I am apologizing for my mistake. Its been a long day! ;)

Tracy

&lt;&lt;&lt; Sometimes I forget that the UK is not a part of the Schengen Agreement since it is an EU member &gt;&gt;&gt;

And non-EU countries are members of Schengen