86ti wrote:
We'll soon try to fly to Latvia and then go to Estonia. According to information from Ryanair (we asked directly at Liverpool Airport) they'll let us board. Let's see what the Latvians will do. We may have to visit my in-laws in St. Peterburg but I hesitate to attempt to re-enter the EU through the Russian-Estonian border.
We returned yesterday from Latvia without problems.
At Liverpool airport our passports were checked three times. First at the check-in counter. The girl there looked only once at me when I gave here a wrong booking confirmation from easyJet (for my mother's flight) but otherwise largely ignores us scribbling something behind her counter where I couldn't see. I don't think she ever saw my wife who was behind me repacking the suitcase and chasing our dauther. Second at the security check point. The officer there looks somehow strangely amused/confused at my wife's passport but gives it back to us without comment. Third check before boarding but only of the bio page.
Riga airport went very smoothly. No talking, no questioning, no stamp. Only a short check of the RC under the UV lamp (or whatever). Our final destination is Estonia but since we didn't pass any further boarder checks there's nothing to report on. We cross the Estonian/Latvian boarder several times in these two weeks but see Estonian boarder guards only once when we drive on a road right along the boarder. We decided not to go to Russia (through Narva) as my wife told me that the Russian boarder guards would check before re-entry and we didn't feel like testing their competence in EU laws.
On departure the girl at check-in asked me if the RC is the "visa". I explained to her that is not a visa but a RC and she let us check in. Later we saw that she wrote 'Check visa' on the boarding card but it was unlcear to us for whom. The passports were checked once again after security by Latvian IOs. My wife asked them if she could come back without me. They said yes. I asked them again 'Alone?'. 'No problem'. We got similar information from the Estonian embassy. Last check again before boarding.
Back at Liverpool airport the IO asks us for a landing card. I explain to him that we wouldn't need one. Another lady standing behind him (senior officer, I guess) tells him that that would be ok. I also tell them not to stamp my wife's passport. She said 'We know that'.
