Which queue at passport control ??

Pyromaniac · Post by **Pyromaniac** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:57 pm

Probably a silly question, I married my Indonesian wife in May, we (she) got FLR a couple of days later.

We are off to Bali to go see her family next week, and arrive back in T3 Heathrow.

Do we have to go to seperate queues for passport control or can I join her in the non EU queue or vise versa ? I am UK citizen but obviously she is not.

Gerry

Post by **vinny** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:18 pm

It would be better if you were both in the same queue. You can definitely join her in the non-EU queue. Some Immigration Officers may also allow her to join you in the UK queue.

ilm · Post by **ilm** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:55 pm

Remember to take a pen so she can fill out a landing card whilst you both go through the non EU queue. Both go up together and just hand both passports and say you are X's husband, That is what we do, ofen it is quicker than the EU queue.

Post by **vinny** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 2:31 am

See also UK Airports - Travelling with a Non-Citizen

Pyromaniac · Post by **Pyromaniac** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:34 am

Thanks guys - that link Vinny makes it clear as mud now ! I think I will ask at Heathrow before we leave next week

tinux · Post by **tinux** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:02 pm

you are free to use any . but best to use the one that has less people for your advantage. it will make no difference . We as a group of relative with mix passports do that every year and never had a problem

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:45 pm

Or just pretend you are Italian and push in at the front of whichever queue takes your fancy, wave your arms about like a madman and pretend to cry....

Works every time for me!

Rozen · Post by **Rozen** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 2:17 pm

Wanderer wrote:Or just pretend you are Italian and push in at the front of whichever queue takes your fancy, wave your arms about like a madman and pretend to cry....

Works every time for me!

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:55 pm

Rozen · Post by **Rozen** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:55 pm

johnsienk wrote:The rules are that if a EU citizen is travelling with a non-EU spouse, they both should go to the EU queue. If the non-EU spouse is travelling on his/her own, he/she would need to join the non-EU queue.

Which 'rules' are these?

Mr Rusty · Post by **Mr Rusty** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:16 am

Rozen wrote:
johnsienk wrote:The rules are that if a EU citizen is travelling with a non-EU spouse, they both should go to the EU queue. If the non-EU spouse is travelling on his/her own, he/she would need to join the non-EU queue.

Which 'rules' are these?

Ain't any rules as such. What the previous poster has stated is custom and practice, but I don't think you'll find it written down anywhere. I'm hoping we can avoid any queues when we return from our current hols, as we managed to register on the Iris recognition scheme on our way out.

busubi · Post by **busubi** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:06 am

The first time I went through Heathrow with my Japanese wife I played Ignorant and went to the UK queue. The Officer said it was fine as long as she was travelling with me, otherwise she would have to join the mile long wait.

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:22 am

Pyromaniac · Post by **Pyromaniac** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:34 pm

Well - when we got back we both went to the non UK queue, the girl in front of us got sent to the UK queue.

No problems entering at all, the lady who checked our passports and wifes visa page said it was fine for us both to use this queue as we were travelling together.

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:39 pm

Do they have a stamp at the EU queue? The lady monitoring the non-EU queue said that we should go to the EU one next time, but I didn't want to risk the wifey not having a date stamp for her upcoming ILR application.

thirdwave · Post by **thirdwave** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:50 pm

Wanderer wrote:Or just pretend you are Italian and push in at the front of whichever queue takes your fancy, wave your arms about like a madman and pretend to cry....

Works every time for me!

Do you also talk out of the side of your mouth, a la De Niro?

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:26 pm

thirdwave wrote:
Wanderer wrote:Or just pretend you are Italian and push in at the front of whichever queue takes your fancy, wave your arms about like a madman and pretend to cry....

Works every time for me!
Do you also talk out of the side of your mouth, a la De Niro? :lol:

This actually happened to me at Schipol when we all got delayed and had to transfer to a later flight.

It was bedlam at the transfer desk, we Brits queueing orderly of course, just resign yourself to long wait and get used to it. But this Italian guy kept pushing into the front, totally disregarding the British mumblings (no-one actually daring to say anything) - the desk girl sent him back several times but eventually gave way. He still had to wait for the plane like the rest of us....

Another time in the very long security queues recently at Manchester Airport, this Arabic looking guy was tapping his way along the queue asking to go in front cos he was gonna miss his plane, he even showed me his ticket. He stopped a few people in front of me cos they lads there more or less told him to 'pÃ®ss off'. Only then did I release that his boarding time was five minutes AFTER mine......

Some people....

Frances1978 · Post by **Frances1978** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:04 pm

I'll be going through Heathrow (unfortunately) to Dublin in December. I hold a stamp 4 (issued through the Irish domestic immigration laws due to marriage to an Irish citizen). Any idea which queue we should use at heathrow? I've never actually flown through there before (can't avoid it this time unfortunately) and would like to know should we line up at the EU queue or the non-EU queue?

sakura · Post by **sakura** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:38 pm

Frances1978 wrote:I'll be going through Heathrow (unfortunately) to Dublin in December. I hold a stamp 4 (issued through the Irish domestic immigration laws due to marriage to an Irish citizen). Any idea which queue we should use at heathrow? I've never actually flown through there before (can't avoid it this time unfortunately) and would like to know should we line up at the EU queue or the non-EU queue?

Non-EU queue, because you are not an EU citizen/passport holder. You can use the EU queue if you are travelling with your EU-citizen spouse.

Frances1978 · Post by **Frances1978** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:41 pm

Yes, we'll be travelling together on holiday back to NZ. I've heard numerous stories as to the drilling people have got at heathrow when coming through to Ireland. I don't hold an EU family permit because we are living in Ireland and he's Irish. Not sure if this makes a difference?

gaman · Post by **gaman** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:28 pm

When I was on my FLR I was told at Heathrow to queue with my wife and child next time. So find a quicker queue!

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Which queue at passport control ??