Why isn't the UK part of Schengen?

Tinuel

Not sure if this has been asked before, I have done some googling and get all sorts of answers, ranging from the UK is not ready to open it's border to it was just temporary, they will go Schengen at some point.

As a Portuguese national, to me, travelling without a passport across Europe is a lot easier. Going from Lisbon to Madrid is like going from London to Manchester.
Better still because I have been told that in the UK you need a passport to fly internally also (not sure if it's true or not).
Even the control-freak of Europe (Switzerland) is part of Schengen. If anyone knows why and if it's a permanent thing or not, please "educate" me.

MarkLS12

I don't think there are any plans for the UK to join Schengen.

I can't help you with the why part, I presume it's for immigration control and security reasons.

You do not need a passport to fly internally in the UK, but some airlines require it for their own purposes. e.g. Ryanair

stoneman

Can you imagine if we opened our borders without the need for passport control. Every Tom !!!!!! and Harry would be in like a shot. Hell in a handcart ringing in my ears.
Tinuel, with all due respect, not many people would risk life and limb to try and enter Portugal, there must be some reason why everyone wants to come here. Oh, that's right, it's called New Labour

moonrakerz

Tinuel wrote: »

If anyone knows why and if it's a permanent thing or not, please "educate" me.

Go to Calais and have a look !

Voyager2002

Very good question.

The answer: of the people who are GENUINE refugees, and so have the right to remain in Europe if they manage to get here, a large proportion would prefer to live in the UK (able to speak English, family in Britain) but arrive elsewhere in the EU. If Britain were to join Schengen, such people would be able to move freely to the UK, and any costs of resettlement would fall on the British taxpayer. As matters stand, many of them can get to France but no further and so represent a cost to the French.

A logical solution would be for all resettlement costs to be met by the EU as a whole, but logic and immigration policy rarely go hand in hand.

Nordictat2

I forget what show it was but I saw these guys hiding out on a truck entering the UK (coming from France) and I had to laugh because they painted their faces and arms white and hid in a huge container full of loosefill packing chips..The custom officers were even laughin.
People will do anything to get in the UK lol.

Tinuel

stoneman wrote: »

Tinuel, with all due respect, not many people would risk life and limb to try and enter Portugal, there must be some reason why everyone wants to come here. Oh, that's right, it's called New Labour

Stoneman,
Portugal also has it's share of illegal migration, not as bad as the UK, but also existing. As per the reason, it could be the benefits, the language, the reputation. It's a shame that stops the UK from joining, it would certainly help the European integration

Voyager2002

Nordictat2 wrote: »

I forget what show it was but I saw these guys hiding out on a truck entering the UK (coming from France) and I had to laugh because they painted their faces and arms white and hid in a huge container full of loosefill packing chips..The custom officers were even laughin.
People will do anything to get in the UK lol.

Yes, many die in the attempt.

The scene you describe is indeed funny. The desperation that drives the people involved is no laughing matter.

Mark_Hewitt

Tinuel wrote: »

Better still because I have been told that in the UK you need a passport to fly internally also (not sure if it's true or not).

No. But most airlines require some sort of identification. You don't need a passport to go to the Republic of Ireland either. The UK and Ireland form the 'common travel area', our own mini-schengen.

However even then there are exceptions with immigration in ROI requiring passports/ID for those arriving by air and sea. Although there are no checks on the land border with the UK.

Nordictat2

Mentioning Spain for a moment...I honestly wonder though if Spain cares about passport control. The past few times I've gone there...there was no one there to check our passports. People were looking around but we just walked on thru...

Nordictat2

Voyager2002 wrote: »

The desperation that drives the people involved is no laughing matter.

Of course but that was quite funny. I know there are plenty of stories where people have died and tis a shame indeed but ya know if you let too many people into a country (any country) too quickly then you start to wonder why taxes go up or you start to lose benefits. People come and then don't want to leave so they stay illegally and then crime rate goes up because they need to survive some how too.
I feel bad for some of those people who have it bad and what a shot at a happy life but a country shouldn't forget their own people either!