Passport Checks At Heathrow

[durhamboy]

Big brother knows a lot about you before arriving at the departure airport and various agencies can use this information.

The House of Lords has said the 42 pieces of passenger data that airlines need to hand over to the police and security services enable aspects of a passengers history, conduct and behaviour to be deduced

The 42 categories are:

passport number

country which issued passport

passport expiry date

given names

last name

gender

date of birth

nationality

passenger name record locator code

address

all forms of payment information

billing address

contact telephone numbers

all travel itinerary for specific PNR

frequent flyer information

travel agency

travel agent

code share PNR information

travel status of passenger

split/divided PNR information

email address

ticketing field information

general remarks

ticket number

seat number

date of ticket issued

no-show history

bag tag history

go-show information

other service-related information

special service requests, such as meal preferences

received from information

all historical changes to PNR

number of travellers on PNR

seat information

one-way tickets

any collected advanced passenger information system information

automatic ticketing fare quote

UK arrivals are also checked.

According to the Home Office

All passengers are checked against police, security and immigration watchlists on arrival. Where we believe someone poses a risk, Border Force officers can and do refuse them entry.

If this is true Jay then I wonder how HMG processes all this information and also how every airline uploads it to HMG. Must be an admin nightmare.

Nevertheless, even with all this info my wife flew out on a blank passport in a different name from her visa. Now from the list of 42 items the airline is supposed to give to HMG then I think it would be possible to match the data to her original passport/visa if a physical analysis was undertaken. I very much doubt that there could be an automatic match.

[Chivas]

Take it from me that every time your Passport is scanned wherever your movements are noted by all relevant agencies.....

[theoldgit]

Take it from me that every time your Passport is scanned wherever your movements are noted by all relevant agencies.....

Take it from me, your movements aren't checked.

HMG has been talking about this publically for ages, but it's a long way off being implemented.

One problem they haven't, bizarrely, got round yet is the legality of sharing information between government departments.

[Jay Sata]

Take it from me that every time your Passport is scanned wherever your movements are noted by all relevant agencies.....

Take it from me, your movements aren't checked.

HMG has been talking about this publically for ages, but it's a long way off being implemented.

One problem they haven't, bizarrely, got round yet is the legality of sharing information between government departments.

That is pretty much underway in the removal of car licensing paperwork that has taken place.

If you own or drive a car the insurance document,tax disc and MOT certificate are no more. Although a paper receipt is issued with the mot and insurance companies issue in some cases a certificate all the information is on the computer database which is onboard police traffic cars and linked to roadside number plate recognition cameras.

The Automated Number Plate Recognition system also allows cars to be marked if they are suspected of being involved in crime so a police vehicle is alerted to the vehicle.

You passport information is also in this database. Added to that we have the credit rating agencies such as Equifax which all local authorities regularly use and you will see we are not far off having ID cards through the back door.

Every time you use a debit or credit card you are leaving a footprint as you are if you have a mobile phone.

The UK has more surveillance cameras than any other country on earth.

When you buy an air ticket the information I previously posted is retained by the airline.

In the case travel to the USA you criminal record is also checked by the Dept of Homeland security.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Jay Sata

[theoldgit]

As interesting as that is, this thread is about passport checking and the fact remains that the system used by UK Border Force Officers only checks the details on the passport and that's what comes up on their screen. They can also check the Warnings Index, which is a separate system that flags up people of interest, neither system have the capability to talk to other government departments.

Interestingly though, and I apologise for straying off topic, but the Met Police have recently stopped their joint operation with bailiffs checking car registration numbers, as the legality was questionable.

[Jay Sata]

As interesting as that is, this thread is about passport checking and the fact remains that the system used by UK Border Force Officers only checks the details on the passport and that's what comes up on their screen. They can also check the Warnings Index, which is a separate system that flags up people of interest, neither system have the capability to talk to other government departments.

Interestingly though, and I apologise for straying off topic, but the Met Police have recently stopped their joint operation with bailiffs checking car registration numbers, as the legality was questionable.

I may be wrong but I believe they can only attend with bailiffs to prevent a breach of the peace.

Back to Heathrow and apart from Border Force Officers you have overlooked the Special Branch. (SO15)

Emily Maitlis, the Newsnight presenter, in a recent newspaper article described her frustration at being carted off and questioned by Special Branch after explosive traces probably hand cream had been found on the handle of her carry-on luggage.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Jay Sata

[theoldgit]

Back to Heathrow and apart from Border Force Officers you have overlooked the Special Branch. (SO15)

How could I forget them, my ex worked with them for years and I had them rammed down my throat almost daily, SB officers don't bother themselves with mundane things like a bit of drug residue on the handle of a suitcase.

None of the SB officers are involved in checking passports, so yes, back to the topic.

[briley]

I am not sure if people are complaining that there is no overt checking of documents and no linking between UK government departments or not?

Personally I am happy with not having to queue and be checked to get permission to leave the country - it makes me feel that I am a free agent and can move in and out of the UK as I wish. But I am also pleased (and know) that checks are carried out quietly in the background.

In the same way I do not want the government to have one big file listing everything I do - like the Stasie (sp?) in East Germany. Rather each department just has the information they need.

Probably my one complaint would be the lack of trust these days. In the past people believed I was Fred of Dunroamin but now I have to produce paper to prove it.

[Chivas]

Take it from me that every time your Passport is scanned wherever your movements are noted by all relevant agencies.....

Take it from me, your movements aren't checked.

HMG has been talking about this publically for ages, but it's a long way off being implemented.

One problem they haven't, bizarrely, got round yet is the legality of sharing information between government departments.

Take it from me they certainly are and I'm not elaborating !!

And thats at least at the latest March 2009 and certainly ever since.....

[thonglorjimmy]

Take it from me they certainly are and I'm not elaborating !!

And thats at least at the latest March 2009 and certainly ever since.....

So there we have it, so they must be doing it then, you're clearly restrained by the Official Secrets Act so cannot elaborate, shame that.

That said, I spoke to a former colleague today who is currently a Border Force Officer at T3, he advised me that it hasn't been implemented yet, and whilst it's still a long term objective, it's been put on the back burner since the demise of the e-borders project, guess he's wrong.

[fbf]

Take it from me, your movements aren't checked.

HMG has been talking about this publically for ages, but it's a long way off being implemented.

One problem they haven't, bizarrely, got round yet is the legality of sharing information between government departments.

In the light of the Snowden leaks and various press reports about GCHQ activities and the lack of oversight, I wouldn't be surprised if that agency slurps up most of the information provided by airlines.

But, that doesn't mean it'll get shared with other branches of government, or that they're at all interested in general immigration issues.

Admittedly this is only a guess on my part, but I hope it's ok to speculate a little if labelled as such.