EES success at Santander

[Lambeth Cali]

We arrived in Santander on Thursday from Plymouth on the Pont Aven.
We admittedly were lucky to be one of the first off the boat. We were then directed to a queue, possibly one of 8 and were about 4th from the front. After ten minutes we were directed into a portakabin and our 13 and 16 year olds and my wife and I were shown how to scan our passports, take a picture and fingerprints. There were 6 machines in our portakabin. It took less than 10 minutes. We were then on our way. Customs waved us through. From starting our engine on the boat to exiting the port was about 25 minutes ish. Or so it felt.

We have previously waited an hour to exit Santander port with passport queues.

I stress we were very near the first off the boat. It was professional, dare I say slick.

Due to the forest fires we have changed our plans and will be forfeiting our boat trip back in favour of a few days in San Sebastián followed by a drive back through France. So we will see what it’s like at Calais but not Santander return leg.

 

[mattpartridge]

We arrived in Santander on Thursday from Plymouth on the Pont Aven.
We admittedly were lucky to be one of the first off the boat. We were then directed to a queue, possibly one of 8 and were about 4th from the front. After ten minutes we were directed into a portakabin and our 13 and 16 year olds and my wife and I were shown how to scan our passports, take a picture and fingerprints. There were 6 machines in our portakabin. It took less than 10 minutes. We were then on our way. Customs waved us through. From starting our engine on the boat to exiting the port was about 25 minutes ish. Or so it felt.

We have previously waited an hour to exit Santander port with passport queues.

I stress we were very near the first off the boat. It was professional, dare I say slick.

Due to the forest fires we have changed our plans and will be forfeiting our boat trip back in favour of a few days in San Sebastián followed by a drive back through France. So we will see what it’s like at Calais but not Santander return leg.

I came back from Santander last Sunday. Having registered on arrival 10 days earlier and being photographed, it was quite an easy process on the return trip. The port has a number of shipping containers repurposed as a room containing several ID terminals. Plenty of staff on hand to help, but each self service terminal takes another photo and records your finger prints, very quick and easy. Still a long queue on arrival in Portsmouth for the passport kiosks!