New passport procedures

[cja]

(also posted on Club Arnage)

Have been hearing one or two horror stories in respect of new passport checking changes being imposed.......with one guy spending 1 1/2 hrs in a queue!

It seems that there could be 3 separate checks - UK border agency, French Customs & the ferry operator - with all biometric passports being scanned. Whether this means they are scanned on 3 separate occasions, I really don't know.

Has anyone else heard similar? I know these aren't due to come into force until after Easter, but I can see the need to allow for a lot of extra time to get through the gates, as I fear that any excuse to hold us all up will be welcomed by our French allies.........

[cja]

Hopefully this is only the usual press scaremongering, as it is close to a month old

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-ra...

[cja]

According to the ferry websites, there is no call (yet?) from them for API. Just some 'have your passport ready' guidance.

I have emailed my ferry operator for an update on their requirements, but no reply - as yet.

[cja]

RemaL said:

I phoned up Brittany Ferries yesterday to add some info on a trip i'm doing ini May and asked them about the API.

my Reply "the What"

Explained and Jane told me they have been getting extra info for the past 3 years with regards to this. No idea what she meant but seems the API that you need to start doing at the Eurotunnel, you don't if your using a ferry.

Thanks for that - I'll phone mine in a week or so and see if it's still the same