Picture taken at passport control

[ddraig]

Returned from trip to Europe and was questioned at passport control

Also a picture(s) taken by a big camera next to the person in booth which went up and down attached poles a bit before taking it
Passport has couple of years left on it so wondered if was to do with that

Not seen this before, anyone else had it done?

 

[nogojones]

What did they question you about?

 

[moochedit]

Last couple of times i went through automated passport checkers at the airport (both in uk and in Germany) where you scan your passport and then a camera takes your photo before it lets you through. Not sure if that is same thing as you had though?

 

[ddraig]

What did they question you about?

Where come from, if travelling on own or with someone, dob, where born

 

[moochedit]

Also when i went to the USA about 6 years ago the immigration person took a photo of me (they do all non-usa citazens i think) and also took fingerprint scans.

 

[ddraig]

Last couple of times i went through automated passport checkers at the airport (both in uk and in Germany) where you scan your passport and then a camera takes your photo before it lets you through. Not sure if that is same thing as you had though?

We were in that queue but partner couldn't get it to work so went in normal queue, I did too, did wonder if that was anything to do with it.
I should have stayed in the automated queue!

 

[smmudge]

Went through gatwick the other day and they took a photo before security AND before the gate. But we used each others tickets so got one over on "them"

 

[salem]

Fairly common, probably to check face matches the one on the passport like the automated lines do. Not uncommon for them to ask a few questions too - I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

[nogojones]

Went through gatwick the other day and they took a photo before security AND before the gate. But we used each others tickets so got one over on "them"

Stick it to the man smmudge

 

[nogojones]

Where come from, if travelling on own or with someone, dob, where born

You clearly looked shadey as then

 

[smmudge]

We weren't even going out of the "UK" kind of

Ok we weren't leaving the British Isles

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

They nearly always take your picture now. They also often 'chat' to you and will ask innocuous questions to see if you match your passport. I was born in Heston, between Hounslow and Southall, earlier this year the chap at Heathrow said, "Heston? The one in Kent?" - There isn't one in Kent, but a malfaiteur may answer in the affirmative and be subjected to further inquisition...

 

[moochedit]

They nearly always take your picture now. They also often 'chat' to you and will ask innocuous questions to see if you match your passport. I was born in Heston, between Hounslow and Southall, earlier this year the chap at Heathrow said, "Heston? The one in Kent?" - There isn't one in Kent, but a malfaiteur may answer in the affirmative and be subjected to further inquisition...

I was born in croydon (parents moved while i was still a baby) and I am not sure exactly which county croydon is in so that's me fucked then.

 

[8ball]

I was born in croydon (parents moved while i was still a baby) and I am not sure exactly which county croydon is in so that's me fucked then.

County London

 

[planetgeli]

We were in that queue but partner couldn't get it to work so went in normal queue, I did too, did wonder if that was anything to do with it.
I should have stayed in the automated queue!

Definitely. They look for changing behaviour.

 

[Grace Johnson]

We were in that queue but partner couldn't get it to work so went in normal queue, I did too, did wonder if that was anything to do with it.
I should have stayed in the automated queue!

The automated ques only work with the newer biometric passports. If you passport is an older one and hasn't got the face geometry thing it might be because of that. They will be adding the scan of your face to your passport file.

 

[Grace Johnson]

Definitely. They look for changing behaviour.

Also this tho.

 

[Grace Johnson]

If your passport hasn't got that little square on it it won't work in the gates.

 

[Spymaster]

You clearly looked shadey as then

I’d have checked him out too

 

[hash tag]

I was born in croydon (parents moved while i was still a baby) and I am not sure exactly which county croydon is in so that's me fucked then.

County London

Surrey, don't you know.

Are these camera things taking pictures or are they just scanning/comparing to passport? Every time I return through gatwick,
I am never allowed through, I always end up seeing the officials!

 

[skyscraper101]

A lot of those e gates have trouble with different passports.

With my old one (pre-2017) I always sailed through no worries. As soon as I got the new one, it refused to recognize it every time. I noticed this was a trend with anyone with a new-ish passport. They seem to have upgraded the machines now and they work with the new ones.

I once got stuck inside an e-gate in Dublin airport. The software crashed mid scan and I could't enter or leave as there were glass gates stopping me in either direction. Had to wait for an official to override it. Felt like I was stateless for 5 minutes.

 

[moochedit]

Are these camera things taking pictures or are they just scanning/comparing to passport? Every time I return through gatwick,
I am never allowed through, I always end up seeing the officials!

I think they scan and compare it to passport but i guess it is possible they store the photo taken as well.

 

[hash tag]

Human rights....invasion of privacy.....

 

[moochedit]

I think what causes issues for me is that i didn't wear my glasses in my passport photo but normally i am wearing them going through the machine.

 

[hash tag]

I always take mine off for the machine, never bloody works returning to Gatwick.

 

[Grace Johnson]

Surrey, don't you know.

Are these camera things taking pictures or are they just scanning/comparing to passport? Every time I return through gatwick,
I am never allowed through, I always end up seeing the officials!

Scanning essentially. They take a geometric shape of the features of your face from your photo that's imprinted in the passport, so they scan to see if it matches.

 

[JimW]

Read in China they're now testing hair for drug use and you can be prosecuted retrospectively even if you took them somewhere it was legal.

 

[hash tag]

There are a couple of Brits currently banged up in China for possible past drug use. It is expected they will be deported (loss of jobs Etc.).
This is even if the drugs were legal in a country where they may have been taken.
Barely a search...Four Britons arrested in China for drug offences

 

[spanglechick]

They nearly always take your picture now. They also often 'chat' to you and will ask innocuous questions to see if you match your passport. I was born in Heston, between Hounslow and Southall, earlier this year the chap at Heathrow said, "Heston? The one in Kent?" - There isn't one in Kent, but a malfaiteur may answer in the affirmative and be subjected to further inquisition...

Is it not possible that someone with a dim memory of passing the Heston services on the southern chunk of the m25, just called the wrong county?

 

[hash tag]

Confused with Keston?