EU postpones full biometric rollout

Doshwaster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903244#Comment_81903244

The whole system just seems to be badly implemented and explained. Lots of people not having a clue what they were supposed to be doing, machines not working at all or giving errors, parents struggling to get their children to use the machines. I ended up being stamped in and out of Valencia at the weekend so I guess I will have to do it all again on my next visit to Euroland.

NoodleDoodleMan

Just been advised that my Irish passport application has been approved and passport book should be with me soon(ish).

Hopefully we can now bodyswerve the long snake queue at Malaga airport for non EU passport holders.

user1977

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903244#Comment_81903244

…and on exiting Madrid, airport staff insisting that even passengers who had already registered had to visit the registration terminals again - luckily no queues this time.

Doshwaster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81907022#Comment_81907022

Same when leaving Valencia on Sunday. Registration terminals then automated gates and then a manual check and stamp. All very confusing.

Next trip is Tenerife in April which I'm expecting to be much busier.

Indout96

System was live in Wroclaw last December but was a farce, details taken by officials inc photo / fingerprints on mobile devices disappeared by the time you hit the machines so had to be done again.

Staff in the booths had no idea how to use the machines so had to wait for supervisors to come and push one button.

You have to assume (hope) it will get better TBH 2-3 hours is standard arriving in the US in many places (our worst was 4 1/2 in Washington) so this may be the new normal

silvercar

Just registered in Madrid. Luckily I arrived at a time when the airport was very quiet, no queue at all. The machines are temperamental, I had to make 3 attempts before it went through.

NoodleDoodleMan

Well done - hopefully it will perform as intended when you next visit Schengen EU

TELLIT01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81912471#Comment_81912471

Maybe, maybe not. I've been reading about people who have made previous visits to the EU, and registered, having to do the same thing again when flying in to either the same or a different airport.

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81912471#Comment_81912471

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81917334#Comment_81917334

Sadly this has now been tested. OH's flight was cancelled, so he had to leave the airport (through passport control) and re-enter the next day.

Maybe this is unique to Madrid, maybe not. On leaving and re-entering the airport, he was directed to the machines again. This was quick, as a scan off your passport shows you are already registered and you can proceed to the next machine scan and then the passport stamping queue. So his passport has now been scanned 4 times - the initial registration, then 3 further times to exit the EU, then back into the EU, then exit again. He now has 2 entry and 2 exit stamps on his passport.

Maybe in time they will realise that people are already registered and can avoid the registration machines.

TELLIT01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81919331#Comment_81919331

I think the problem of having to do the full registration process again is probably as much down to airport staff not understanding the system as anything else. I've read the same story on forums for different locations. Hopefully it will settle down over time.

What I don't understand is why airports haven't taken advantage of the suspension of the rollout, particularly when they have a massive queue build up.