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Another experience at Heathrow
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:31 am
by Marco 72
On 9 April my wife and I had another "interesting" experience at Heathrow. This time the immigration officer did not ask my wife - who has a PR sticker in her passport, as the wife of an EU citizen - for her landing card, and did not stamp her passport.
Howerver, the immigration officer asked my wife to put her index finger on the finger scanning machine. My wife complied, since we were both exhausted and didn't know the rules about finger scanning. However, it has since occurred to me that perhaps the officer may have been wrong, and she should not have taken my wife's fingerprint. Is this correct?
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:07 pm
by Jambo
Was this in the EU line? (I would be surprised if it was).
Did they ask British passport holders to do the same?
She should not be treated differently.
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:46 pm
by Marco 72
Jambo wrote:Was this in the EU line? (I would be surprised if it was).
Did they ask British passport holders to do the same?
She should not be treated differently.
Yes, my wife was in the EU line with me. We were thinking of making a complaint. Is there a specific regulation we should quote to make our point? Also, can we ask for my wife's fingerprint record to be removed from their database?
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:45 pm
by Emc
In the last few months I had two experiences with Immigration control-once at Gatwick and once at Heathrow. I've got the RC sticker in my passport, but my hubby is British(Surinder Singh rule) so we went queing to EU line and were prepaired to be turned away to the non EU line if the Immigration officer wasn't up to speed with the rules. I approached the desk with both passports holding mine open at the RC sticker and said that my passport is not EU, but because I've got RC we must use this EU line. The IO smiled at us and asked if my hubby is The family member? then asked if we lived in another country prior to arriving to UK?-replied -Ireland. IO said thank you, bye. No stamps, no finger print scanning, no lending cards. The second time IO has not asked any questions except, did you have a nice holiday?. However I am alwayse ready for the unexpected, so I do fill in the lending card and keep it in my bag, just in case they ask and then I will argue the rules and laws. I like the part on lending card where you have to write how long you are expecting to stay in UK-my answer is 102 years and 3 months......

Re: Another experience at Heathrow
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:18 pm
by Directive/2004/38/EC
Marco 72 wrote:On 9 April my wife and I had another "interesting" experience at Heathrow. This time the immigration officer did not ask my wife - who has a PR sticker in her passport, as the wife of an EU citizen - for her landing card, and did not stamp her passport.
Howerver, the immigration officer asked my wife to put her index finger on the finger scanning machine. My wife complied, since we were both exhausted and didn't know the rules about finger scanning. However, it has since occurred to me that perhaps the officer may have been wrong, and she should not have taken my wife's fingerprint. Is this correct?
Has your wife ever previously had her fingerprints taken by UKBA as part of any of her applications?
Re: Another experience at Heathrow
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:25 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
Marco 72 wrote:Howerver, the immigration officer asked my wife to put her index finger on the finger scanning machine.
I would have refused.
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:27 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
Emc wrote:so I do fill in the lending card and keep it in my bag
Never fill it in, it's not required.
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:27 pm
by spike_UK
I like the part on lending card where you have to write how long you are expecting to stay in UK-my answer is
102 years and 3 months......

[/quote]
I like that

))))))
By the way I never had a problem with RC on my passport

Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 3:59 pm
by EUsmileWEallsmile
Marco 72 wrote:
Yes, my wife was in the EU line with me. We were thinking of making a complaint. Is there a specific regulation we should quote to make our point? Also, can we ask for my wife's fingerprint record to be removed from their database?
Please do complain.
Please see this leaflet for some information. Your wife does not hold any of the document listed and so should not have been asked to provide fingerprints.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... ks-leaflet
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 7:02 pm
by Marco 72
Thanks. We will complain and I'll let you know the outcome.