Spain - Umm, I just walked right in??

[Febs]

Hi guys,

I posted a similar question about France late last year, but this is a bit different.

Today we boarded a flight from Berlin (TXL) to Madrid, and connected onto a MAD-BCN flight.

I'm not sure if there's only one terminal in MAD, but the departure gate for BCN wasn't far from our arrival gate from TXL. Went to the lounge, then headed to the gate.

Got to BCN, into (what I presume was) the new BCN-MAD "corridor", which I understand opened on 9th Sept. Everything looked very new. Very nice.

Collected our bags, and walked straight out. No customs checks (which I know is common for European countries), but interestingly - no passport checks. Do Spain really not care who enters, and for how long they enter??

Cheers,
- A confused Febs.

 

[chrizzz14]

when you travel within the EU union ( apart from the UK) you wont go through any passport control. Much the same as australian domestic travel.

 

[Febs]

when you travel within the EU union ( apart from the UK) you wont go through any passport control. Much the same as australian domestic travel.

Ah, well there you go. Thanks.

I seemed to remember going through passport control on previous trips within the EU, but I could be mistaken.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[Commuter]

That's because they are Schengen members. They have an open border policy.

There are still immigration controls within EU because there are non-Schengen member EU states (e.g. Bulgaria, the UK etc), but between Schengen members, there's nothing at all, and they are like catching a domestic flight.

See below for the map of Schengen countries:
http://www.axa-schengen.com/en/schengen-countries

 

[greenfrog86]

I've often wondered the same as the OP - I travelled Melbourne - Rome and when I landed literally held my passport up as I walked past a man in a booth... It was too far away for him to see any of the writing and he certainly didn't seem to care that I existed.

Anyone else had a similar experience when entering any part of the EU from a non-EU state?

Entering the UK on the other hand.... Good thing I've got two passports

 

[samh004]

I've often wondered the same as the OP - I travelled Melbourne - Rome and when I landed literally held my passport up as I walked past a man in a booth... It was too far away for him to see any of the writing and he certainly didn't seem to care that I existed.

Anyone else had a similar experience when entering any part of the EU from a non-EU state?

Entering the UK on the other hand.... Good thing I've got two passports

Had a similar experience entering Switzerland quite a few years ago.

 

[Febs]

I've often wondered the same as the OP - I travelled Melbourne - Rome and when I landed literally held my passport up as I walked past a man in a booth... It was too far away for him to see any of the writing and he certainly didn't seem to care that I existed.

Anyone else had a similar experience when entering any part of the EU from a non-EU state?

Entering the UK on the other hand.... Good thing I've got two passports

Dallas to France last year, exact same thing.

I think with customs and immigration we just get used to Australia (i.e. strict, and rightly so) and think that anything less strict is unusual.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[matthecat]

I remember a number of years ago wasting a day in London at the French Embassy getting a schengen visa. Had to show I had return tickets, availability of money etc.
Got off the ferry in Calais and walked straight past an unmanned immigration booth

 

[medhead]

I remember a number of years ago wasting a day in London at the French Embassy getting a schengen visa. Had to show I had return tickets, availability of money etc.
Got off the ferry in Calais and walked straight past an unmanned immigration booth

Not sure how long a number of years is, but Australians have not required a schengen visa since at least June 2005, as a tourist.

I've entered Frankfurt a few times and they are pretty strict, (and not strict), on checking passports etc. Made me lift up the children to be seen and closely inspected against their passport. (except my blonde, blue eyed daughter (the not strict example) - is that a cultural thing?)

Ohh and the spanish might ahve checked our passports when entering Spain on the train and leaving Madrid for barcelona by train. But that could be an ETA thing.

 

[coyote25]

In June I came into Europe at Madrid from Cairo. I forgot to fillout the custom cards as I was only transiting to Belgium and for some reason thought I'd do it there.

Got to border control, realised my mistake but the control lady seeing the unopened Australian passport said I could enter but I should have completed the paperwork, from there I didn't have any further checks while in Europe until I went to the UK.

Interesting to note that everyone from non-white background got questioned strongly at the check point (at least from what I observed) so there was double standards but this time I was on the positive end. Looked like profiling action, unfortunately that meant no entry stamp if it hadn't been 4 am in the morning I would have realised I should have done it the correct way to avoid problems later (ie. no legal entry).

 

[thegurio]

We had the same thing from LHR-FCO, here i was expecting the third degree but just walked straight in - like everyone has said before, a bit bummed as there wasnt a stamp!