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!

 

[Lambeth Cali]

We came back through the tunnel and there was no EES Calais -> Folkestone.
I thought you were supposed to do it again on the way back. I thought that was why people were missing flights home. Baffled

 

[WelshGas]

We came back through the tunnel and there was no EES Calais -> Folkestone.
I thought you were supposed to do it again on the way back. I thought that was why people were missing flights home. Baffled

There was a recent news article about this. If Not Registered as having left the EU then the 90 day clock keeps ticking. Travellers have been denied entry to the EU if they return after the 90 days as having overstayed. Info on the Government Foreign Office website. Also if you are registered on EES there is an EU website to check your status.

If the EU's digital Entry/Exit System (EES) failed to log your departure and incorrectly shows you are still inside the Schengen Area, you should carry physical or digital proof of your exit (such as boarding passes, flight tickets, or entry stamps in a subsequent non-EU passport scan) and explicitly ask border control officers to manually correct your record upon your next entry. [1, 2, 3]

Steps to Handle an Unrecorded Exit

• • Carry Evidence: Bring complete travel history documents, including return boarding passes, train tickets, or entry/exit records showing you arrived back in the UK or another non-Schengen destination. [1]
  • Notify Border Guards: Speak directly with the passport control officer when arriving at an external Schengen border point to explain that your previous departure was missed by the system. [1]
  • Request Correction: Ask the official to audit and update your digital file in the EES database using your physical evidence. [1]

Official Guidance and Context

• • Advice Discrepancies: The European Commission recommends trying to clear status discrepancies prior to travel, whereas the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advises addressing the issue directly at the border upon your next arrival with supporting documentation. []
  • System Rules: Because EES is managed entirely by the EU bloc, data corrections must be processed by authorized border authorities operating within the system.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

@WelshGas
Thanks. Interesting.
But they didn’t seem to be registering anyone leaving. You’re in a queue and can see what’s happening right down the line.

My passport hasn’t been stamped as out.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Suspended for the summer. Hopefully it won’t be too difficult to get back in in December