UK Foreign Office advice for European residence card/permit holders is to skip the EES machines:
These travellers should not register for EES. Instead, upon arrival at the border, they should present their exempting documentation to a border guard.
If for any reason an EES record is created for them, this should retrospectively be deleted. Normally, this can be done at the border by a border guard, or by the relevant authorities within the Schengen area. In some cases, EES records may be deleted automatically, for example, where the traveller has been granted a residence permit after entering the Schengen area.
I believe if you use the EES machines and press the “I have a residence permit” button, it tells you to go away
Seen some other comments that if you do create an EES record when it’s not needed, that can lead to future confusion/hassle if the system doesn’t mark (delete) you as a resident and starts counting your days for no reason.
This is kind of what i would expect to happen as well.
Except what happens for someone who signs up for EES because they aren’t a resident, but then become a resident? So this case has to be dealt with eventually somehow.
I had some travel during the initial period of EES, with lots of rejects at the e-gates. Not sure what the border agent ended up entering into the system for me.
Travelling again in a few weeks, so we’ll see what happens. I’m curious if the border agents have the ability to un-do the EES record if it indeed was created unnecessarily?
Ah, now that’s a useful website. It seems to indicate the system thinks I am still in Denmark, as I suspected. Just for fun, I’ve emailed the Danish immigration office to see if they can fix it.
Left Portugal for a short house-hunting trip to ROI last week. Returned late Friday night into Faro. Immigration hall was empty. Waltzed up to the first (humourless) agent. He pointed out that my card is expired and he wanted to see the QR code. I have one but my wife still does not. She’s still in AIMA purgatory. Fortunately my QR code was good enough for the both of us and on we went.
Left from LIS (to EWR) today, United. Check in line and bag drop were fine, short line about five minutes at security. Around 8am
At immigration, exiting, we went into the residents line at the beginning, guy let us in, e gates as always rejected us.
There’s a new, very clear sign that says “títulos de residência” for going into the manual eu passport line. Despite this two separate guys wouldn’t let me in. The first, flat no. “They changed it”. No arguments got me anywhere. The second guy, i asked separately and he said only article 5 residence permits counted.
I feel pretty confident in saying the dudes were lying because they didn’t like us but it’s entirely possible the airport is just chaotic because it’s run by morons
I’ve done some digging, and the TPN story that @Starts posted above (and I’ve pasted some quotes from below) is the only place I can find that mentions this mystery PSP statement that 3rd-country folks with PT residence permits should use the e-gates. Was TPN hallucinating?
Any other coverage of the April PSP statements are only w.r.t. border operations and delays, and the temporary suspension of biometric data collection at departure gates. Checking of which has now resumed, as we all know.
So is this 2-August TPN story fake news? From the post above, seems the boots on the ground didn’t get the memo.
The measure, introduced by the Public Security Police (PSP) in April, allows third-country nationals with a valid Portuguese residence permit and the passport linked to that permit to use the electronic border control (e-gate) system.
… To use the e-gates, passengers must carry both their valid Portuguese residence permit and the passport associated with that permit. If the automated verification cannot be completed, travellers will be directed to a staffed immigration desk for a manual inspection.
The PSP has also clarified that signs marked “Portuguese Residence Permit” refer specifically to access to the electronic gates.
I get so confused. But: leaving can be entirely different than arriving. Starting a clock that doesn’t stop is different than stopping a clock that didn’t start. Leaving three weeks ago we were instructed not to use the electronic gates (“they won’t work for you”) and directed to the manual all passports line (not the manual EU line). Arriving in the last five days or so we were directed to any manual line. In both cases we were the only ones in the hall; every booth was manned.
Leaving, with a resident card you can use the EU e-gates and bypass the EES machine all together, if rejected by the e-gates there is then a dispute over whether you enter the EU / Priority or All Passports manual line (EU is much faster usually and leads to the same Officers).
Entering, the offical signage is to go thru EES even with a residence card, but you should not use the EES machines, go straight to the Officer, if the Marshall permits you, otherwise you wait behind everyone trying to give their finger prints. It’s still faster with a card if they let you jump the EES queue.
Article 5 of Portugal’s Foreigners Act (Law No. 23/2007) defines special regimes. This article states that the general immigration law does not affect bilateral or multilateral agreements, international conventions (such as agreements with the CPLP), or specific protocols concluded by Portugal.
Left Faro on Tuesday for another short trip to ROI. We were informed that we must give biometrics, which we did. Returned late last night to a quiet arrivals hall. We were both asked for our QR codes, which only I have as my wife’s payment is still missing on AIMAs system. Fortunately, this time, the border agent accepted my QR code and my wife’s proof of payment and the letter from the law firm.
Each time we depart and arrive, they ask for something they haven’t previously. Maybe next time, the proof of payment and lawyer’s letter isn’t good enough. Who knows? It is definitely causing a not insignificant amount of stress upon returning.
The border agents are probably just as confused about what the rules are as anyone else. What makes us assume that an agency that can’t apply consistent standards to applications and processing can somehow apply and publish consistent standards to other governmental agencies? Or worse, they send a spew of changes to the agencies, who all have their own internal policies for dissemination that are now overloaded? Real world groups of people who are attempting to apply rules simply cannot cope with having those rules change all the time…
That doesn’t help us a bit of course. Other than maybe feeling a little sorry for the poor person across the counter. This isn’t their fault any more than it is anyone else’s.
My card (GV) expired 2 years ago. I still haven’t received the replacement card yet. My AIMA receipt doesn’t have a QR code as it is from the previous system. The border agent was shocked it is taking 2 years for a replacement card. He was laughing out loud. He was asking “me” why it is taking 2 years
