It's A Big Leap Of Faith
I see that the American Homeland Security organisation is keen to reintroduce stricter entry controls for people travelling to the States. Anybody flying there will have to provide details online of their name, address, passport number and destination within the United States or if they are merely passing through give their final destination. That's not too much like hard work but they will also have to answer a series of questions that include "Have you ever been involved in sabotage?" "Have you ever been a member of a terrorist organisation?" "Have you ever been arrested and charged as a result of possessing drugs?"
Now I know we've got used to Self-Assessment rules in the U.K for Income Tax and Corporation Tax over the last decade but shouldn't intelligence networks on both sides of the 'pond' negate the need for such daft questions? And who in their right mind would answer 'yes' to any of those questions.
Anyhoo, back in Europe and from June 13 Spain is bringing back 'proper' border controls, yes I know it only has borders with France and Portugal, if you are pedantic you can throw in Ceuta's border with Morocco, but most people travelling to Spain arrive by plane. Anyway when you book your air ticket you will have to supply the travel agent or the online ticket agency with personal details similar to those that the U.S will adopt - but without the stupid questions - the details will then be placed on the Spanish immigartion derpartments computer. Okay, so far, so sensible - problem is that Ryanair and Easy Jet haven't decided out to implement the new rules. Oh, roll on the summer when thousands of pasty faced Brits arrive at Malaga from John Lennon Airport only to be told, "No senor, you can't come in, you're not on the list."
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Postscript - I've since found this online.
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/news/article1798138.ece
5 comments:
I've just got back from Morocco!
Those US regs I had to do last year and earlier this year so either many airlines etc are ahead of the game or I'm a mug...
...don't answer that!
Re Spain, it's probably because there is a lot of intelligence to support various 'new' cells of jihadis arriving here...and of course they're bound to tick the 'yes' box for "have you ever been involved in terrorism/traing whatever...
P.S...I didn't know that re Spain border controls...presumably more important to those coming in!...where is it reported?
We're off to the States for three weeks in the Summer. Got my sons' passports renewed last month (because they expired at the end of the year and although still in date didn't want over officiousness to ruin anything).
My daughter has an American and a British passport. I shall take both with me but just use the British one (I think).
In the Sunday Times Span - along with something Sarnia might be interested in, a new service from Guernsey to Paris via Jersey starts soon - £249 return, time to go shopping?
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