Why are our passports scanned when we return home?

[jamoor]

Just came back from a quick drive around europe and I noted upon entry to schengen areas they only looked at my passport, when I returned home they scanned my passport.

Every other time I have returned from abroad in recent years, I have been scanned back in, what's the deal here?

 

[Wiggins]

As far as I know, since the terrorism hit at Glasgow, they scan passports coming into this country at every aiport now.

It also gives them the opportunity to catch the tobacco smugglers at the same time.

Check it out here.

About time imo.

 

[Bes]

I fly from Spain to the UK almost weekly and never had it scanned- even when flying in from the US, Sout East Asia, Africa (All since Glasgow) I've never had it scanned

 

[Schofield]

Every other time I have returned from abroad in recent years, I have been scanned back in, what's the deal here?

same

 

[Trill]

Just came back from a quick drive around europe

As you do...

 

[Wicksta]

I've pretty much always been scanned, fly a few times a year at least.

 

[Wiggins]

By the looks of it, they only scan passports when entering from certain countries.

 

[eddie101]

Meh, the big brother conspiracy...

 

[Bes]

Which countries though?

 

[Schofield]

i got scanned on coming back from the US twice

 

[Greenlizard0]

I've been scanned from the USA, but not from Amsterdam, quite weird really.

 

[Wiggins]

Which countries though?

The ones that have either a bad record for Illegal Immigrants, suspected Terrorism, Tobacco Trafficking, Human Trafficking or the stuff that we will never know unless you spend your time having your ass wiped as a Politician.

Kind of narrows it down to most countries huh?

Edit: I also had mine scanned when i returned from Gambia last November and I suspect it will happen again when I go in 3 weeks.

 

[lukechad]

I always get mine scanned coming into the UK and the USA. That is usually at Gatwick or Manchester.

 

[Wicksta]

Had mine scanned coming back from Germany, Spain, USA, Canada at least. I normally fly into Heathrow though where they have no obvious way in passport control of telling where you've come from. I guess in smaller airports it's easy to tell which flight people have been on so they only scan 'dodgy' flights.

 

[Glaucus]

Had mine scanned coming back from Amsterdam.

 

[Wiggins]

I normally fly into Heathrow though where they have no obvious way in passport control of telling where you've come from.

Sorry to be blunt but thats tosh.

They know exactly where you have come from. Millions of pounds a year is not spent on making tea and coffee machines better

 

[Scuzi]

Sorry to be blunt but thats tosh.

They know exactly where you have come from.

Domestic and International gates. They know if you're domestic or international but they don't know what specific flight you have come from in many cases.

I'll never forget the time I arrived at passport control in Heathrow and before I handed the guy my passport he said, "Hello Mr. Kelly, did you have a nice day in Copenhagen?"

 

[Wiggins]

Domestic and International gates. They know if you're domestic or international but they don't know what specific flight you have come from in many cases.

They know if they want you.

 

[Scuzi]

They know if they want you.

Yes, if they want you but that hardly makes Wicksta's statement "tosh". Passengers from lots of flights are send through passport control. Some of those flights may be from France, some may be from Turkey, some may be from Moscow etc...

 

[2blue4u]

When moving from one Schengen country to another, you are unlikely to even see a border policeman/guard/official let alone get stopped.

It's ironic, isn't it. We let any lowlife into this country yet have the most consistent border checking regime.