Stockholm Alranda Border Control

[zero]

I was definitely going to visit Sweden this Summer to do the Narvik sleeper, but that's now a maybe as a result of my experience.

I was already in two minds about entering Schengen at Sweden, but the further reports in this thread have put me off completely. I still wish to travel to Sweden but I will now do so by going via a more relaxed Schengen country such as Switzerland.

Well The Europeans don't seem bothered about that ?

In the busiest Schengen airports a high proportion of travellers will be EU/EEA citizens eligible to use e-gates, and excluding British citizens has a minor if negligible effect. (I believe some airports in Spain and Portugal allow British citizens expedited entry because Brits are a large proportion of entrants.) But they already seem to employ sufficient staff.

Whereas if UK airports limited e-gate use to British and Irish citizens only, the e-gates would probably have no queue while the manual queues (at peak times at busy airports) might be so long that people would not be able to disembark planes from lack of space in the terminal. I almost experienced this 2 weeks ago at Heathrow. To ameliorate this, the UK would need to employ a lot more UKBF officers thus incurring more costs for taxpayers and/or increasing the passenger service charges levied by airports.

I do think that British and Irish citizens should have a separate manual queue in UK airports - last year at Heathrow I got stuck behind two sets of EU travellers who got extensively quizzed by UKBF about their travel plans (like the Swedish experiences reported above), but since there was only one officer processing this queue I had to wait for them to be done.

 

[Butts]

I was already in two minds about entering Schengen at Sweden, but the further reports in this thread have put me off completely. I still wish to travel to Sweden but I will now do so by going via a more relaxed Schengen country such as Switzerland.



In the busiest Schengen airports a high proportion of travellers will be EU/EEA citizens eligible to use e-gates, and excluding British citizens has a minor if negligible effect. (I believe some airports in Spain and Portugal allow British citizens expedited entry because Brits are a large proportion of entrants.) But they already seem to employ sufficient staff.

Whereas if UK airports limited e-gate use to British and Irish citizens only, the e-gates would probably have no queue while the manual queues (at peak times at busy airports) might be so long that people would not be able to disembark planes from lack of space in the terminal. I almost experienced this 2 weeks ago at Heathrow. To ameliorate this, the UK would need to employ a lot more UKBF officers thus incurring more costs for taxpayers and/or increasing the passenger service charges levied by airports.

I do think that British and Irish citizens should have a separate manual queue in UK airports - last year at Heathrow I got stuck behind two sets of EU travellers who got extensively quizzed by UKBF about their travel plans (like the Swedish experiences reported above), but since there was only one officer processing this queue I had to wait for them to be done.

Time to spend some of the Air Passenger Duty they already rake in ?

Don't let my experience of entering Sweden put anyone off going - lot's of other people in the All Passports Queue were getting through virtually unscathed.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I've visited Sweden at least once a year for work since about 2018, including during Covid.

Never had any problem with border guards. I've been asked the same questions as above, but never felt 'picked-on' like some would suggest.

I do agree that what really is a wind-up, are the delays on arrival back in the UK when we are lumpted in the main queue, (whilst those from non UK or Schengen countries often have no queue for the manual booths).

 

[Huntergreed]

It seems to very much be down to luck.

It was very frustrating that they opened only one window for “all passports” when I was there.

The queue also kept getting held as staff kept being put right to the front. No less than 4 times were we held waiting whilst pilots and FA’s sailed right past us to get through.

The 5 people before me took no more than a glance and they were stamped through. I was stopped and she took my passport. She started quizzing me on the passport details

“Where are you from?”
“What is your birthdate?”
“What age are you?”
“What’s your address?”

I then got further questioned by the border guard on why I was coming in, particularly on why I was alone

“Where are you staying?” (asked to show my confirmation and confirm my check-in and check-out date)

“What are you doing on each day?” (I hadn’t really planned much aside from a day trip from Stockholm to Gothenburg, which she seemed extremely unsure about)

“Why are you here alone?” (I had to say it was a birthday gift for myself. She didn’t believe it at first. Perhaps the idea of solo travel isn’t as common in Sweden?)

“How much money have you got?” (I even had to open my mobile banking app to prove this)

I do seem to just have got really unlucky, but the border guard was a very unpleasant individual. Seemed quite hostile and I was starting to worry I may be turned away! It didn’t help there was a huge queue behind me (with only the one window being open)

At the same time, given the number of bad experiences reported on here, perhaps it hasn’t just been bad luck.

I’ve had it much easier trying to enter the US, who are known for being strict! Also had no issues in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria or Iceland. By far the worst border experience I’ve had!

 

[JonasB]

Same set up when I arrived, surprised they have not got e-gates - perhaps at the other terminals- this was T2

Terminal 2 is tiny so there will be more options at the much larger T5. But no e-gates AFAIK.

Arlanda is a small regional airport, amenities are scant. Anything less than an international hub and it's mostly that way. Heathrow T5 is world leading in paid and complementary offerings.

It's certainly tiny compared to Heathrow, but in terms of passengers it was about the same size as Manchester pre-covid. And Terminal 2 is very small as mentioned.

I still have two 500kr notes nobody would take.

You can send always send them to me

Maybe this sort of thing will reduce or start to disappear with ETIAS?

ETIAS will probably reduce the time it takes to get in and out of Schengen.

Didn't Sweden raise its terrorist threat level recently? Perhaps it has something to do with that.

We did, and maybe.

I'm told by Swedish colleagues that they have their own loony-tunes politicians and 'foreigners' (and yes that includes EU citizens as well) are a convenient target for the countries ills.

Unfortunately we do…

Yep I had no issues entering Gothenburg. Although I am a bit put off going to Sweden, I won't be totally put off but will do my best to enter through Gothenburg next time. I was definitely going to visit Sweden this Summer to do the Narvik sleeper, but that's now a maybe as a result of my experience.

Being Swedish I've never had any problems. But I can't help wondering if it's a question of terminals. Passport control might be smoother at the much larger terminal 5.

but I can't read Danish (can read Swedish)

Why? That is a bit confusing, there is not a huge difference between the langugages.

 

[yorkie]

Being Swedish I've never had any problems.

You'd have had no problem on that occasion, as they allowed Swedish people straight through, while we were held for around 90 minutes. The staff were unapologetic, and one of them in particular was downright nasty about it.

 

[AlastairFraser]

ETIAS will probably reduce the time it takes to get in and out of Schengen.

Hopefully.

 

[sheff1]

The Nordic countries are well-known to spend 5-10 minutes per non-EU/EEA traveller on entry. On exit they don't need to ask anything so that isn't a problem.

When I arrived at Arlanda last time I was asked where I was going. When I replied "Ostersund" (my initial destination) they just repeated "Ostersund" in a somewhat incredulous tone and stamped the passport with no further questions. Returning to the UK from Kobenhavn I was asked where I had been in the interim which seemed rather unnecessary when I was leaving the country with a ticket to Heathrow using a British passport.

My next trip was in and out of Billund where I was just asked on arrival how long I was staying with no questions on the return.

 

[route101]

I caught the ferry from Corfu (Greece) to Albania a few years ago and they didn’t even check my passport upon arrival at Albania.

I flew there into September and all I got asked was how long I was staying for. Have never been asked that question at any other Schengen area airport before.

I never got a stamp entering Albania from Macedonia but did when leaving on boat to Corfu. Got waved through entering Greece though

Has anyone been to Sweden recently, particularly this Airport.

I got the third degree on entry tonight....

Wanted to see my return ticket....

How much cash I had on me ...

What was the purpose of my visit and where was I staying ....

I have travelled all around Europe and beyond over the last few years and never been asked any of the above questions. even in far flung outposts like Albania.

Only ever entered Sweden by Sea in the past - was I just unlucky ?

Went to Sweden for a day recently and got quizzed at Gothenburg why I am. She asked for proof of onward flight. When I left Sweden in the evening I got a chuckle for leaving in the same day.

 

[Zerothebrake!]

Arrived at 21.35 on 27/11 into T5 with Ryanair from Stansted (EI IHW brand new 738-200). Three positions open - two for 'all passports' and the very pleasant officer asked where I was going, how long I was staying and the purpose of my visit then I was through in less than ten minutes.

 

[Butts]

Pleased to announce I entered Norway (Oslo) today with no excessive questioning - 10 seconds and I was through.

Arrived a day late as my flight from EDI -LHR was delayed by 3 hours yesterday, meaning I missed my connection to Norway.

However BA put me up in the Sofitel overnight and covered the cost of food and drink.

My God it is cold here -16 in Oslo.

So not all Scandinavia conducts harsh interrogation to single travellers on entry.

 

[zero]

My Norway experience is 2 interrogations and 2 no questions at all (OSL, OSL, BGO, SVG).

 

[Mag_seven]

At Lisbon Airport if you have a UK e-passport you can go through a dedicated e- gate and if it lets you through you then proceed to get your passport stamped with no questions asked. I have also noticed this arrangement at Italian airports.

 

[Butts]

At Lisbon Airport if you have a UK e-passport you can go through a dedicated e- gate and if it lets you through you then proceed to get your passport stamped with no questions asked. I have also noticed this arrangement at Italian airports.

Time to extend this courtesy throughout the EU as they can still use our E-Gates.

 

[Canary73]

Travelled over the Nordic Countries and the Baltics - back from Riga yesterday. Get the usual questions of purpose/length of stay but nothing else. Was asked how much money I was bringing into Tallinn at Stansted but not had any hassle to speak off and that includes Arlanda. Most issues tend to be getting through long queues to check passports - UK is just as bad - huge queues at Luton. Heathrow was ok yesterday but given the proximity to Xmas and flights arriving, there was no excuse not to have every gate open.

 

[Butts]

Travelled over the Nordic Countries and the Baltics - back from Riga yesterday. Get the usual questions of purpose/length of stay but nothing else. Was asked how much money I was bringing into Tallinn at Stansted but not had any hassle to speak off and that includes Arlanda. Most issues tend to be getting through long queues to check passports - UK is just as bad - huge queues at Luton. Heathrow was ok yesterday but given the proximity to Xmas and flights arriving, there was no excuse not to have every gate open.

Can't wait for the "fingerprint and photo" shenanigan's to start next year !!

 

[WestCoast]

Time to extend this courtesy throughout the EU as they can still use our E-Gates.

As someone who‘s UK passport never works in the UK e-gates anymore (although fine in other countries!) and always ends up in the reject queue, I can assure our border force ask EU nationals lots of questions. I was stuck behind countless EU nationals at Edinburgh coming back from Malta last month and every one was getting a mini interview. Even I was asked what I was up to outside out of our dear land, although no idea what the protocol is if you refuse that info as a UK citizen!

I suspect our UK border force would love to give all EU nationals the Arlanda treatment but there just isn’t enough of them hence the egates.

 

[Elwyn]

As someone who‘s UK passport never works in the UK e-gates anymore (although fine in other countries!) and always ends up in the reject queue, I can assure our border force ask EU nationals lots of questions. I was stuck behind countless EU nationals at Edinburgh coming back from Malta last month and every one was getting a mini interview. Even I was asked what I was up to outside out of our dear land, although no idea what the protocol is if you refuse that info as a UK citizen!

I suspect our UK border force would love to give all EU nationals the Arlanda treatment but there just isn’t enough of them hence the egates.

Borderforce’s work isn’t only about establishing that you are a UK citizen. They are also Customs Officers and so there’s scope there for questioning where you have come from and why, from a Customs perspective. They also identify people of interest to other agencies eg the police. So if there’s apparently a warrant out for your arrest, they can detain you till the police arrive to deal with the matter.

You can of course refuse to answer any questions, but I’ll leave you to work out whether that is likely to expedite your passage through the controls or not.

 

[WestCoast]

Borderforce’s work isn’t only about establishing that you are a UK citizen. They are also Customs Officers and so there’s scope there for questioning where you have come from and why, from a Customs perspective. They also identify people of interest to other agencies eg the police. So if there’s apparently a warrant out for your arrest, they can detain you till the police arrive to deal with the matter.

You can of course refuse to answer any questions, but I’ll leave you to work out whether that is likely to expedite your passage through the controls or not.

I can certainly appreciate that and have absolutely no issue answering questions at the border but it seems to me the sole criteria in the UK for this on the last times I have entered is whether the egates like your passport or not. I have an old red passport and the flimsy page is slightly creased which is causing issues in the machine. I used to sail through all the time until my passport suddenly stopped working in them and I am sent to the reject queue where EU/UK people are being questioned. It’s extra frustrating as the people at the airport force you to use the machines first .

Incidentally I have had the same issue in the machines at Dublin (same model they look like) and the Irish officers just exchange pleasantries. However, they were doing Brexit checks on duty free etc in the baggage hall last time I was there.

When I entered Singapore last year, I had to submit a short online arrival form with those details and could enter via the gates or desks. The officer who let me had those details in front of him when he scanned my passport. This seems like a much better system to me and could flag up issues before even reaching the border.

 

[route101]

I arrived at Edinburgh airport other day. Managed to get through passport control using the e gates quickly. I did notice customs present which I don't always see. Police were also present but not in police uniform but shirt and tie. Anyone know what the are there for?

 

[Mag_seven]

Can't wait for the "fingerprint and photo" shenanigan's to start next year !!

But surely once that is done entering the EU (which we used to belong to of course) will be a piece of cake?

 

[zero]

I arrived at Edinburgh airport other day. Managed to get through passport control using the e gates quickly. I did notice customs present which I don't always see. Police were also present but not in police uniform but shirt and tie. Anyone know what the are there for?

Could be many reasons. Maybe they are bored and have nothing else to do, maybe randomly looking out for people behaving suspiciously, waiting for somebody they know is coming, received a tip about something that might happen, practicing or training for future activities, just showing they are present which could deter people from doing something bad because they assume nobody ever checks.

 

[route101]

Could be many reasons. Maybe they are bored and have nothing else to do, maybe randomly looking out for people behaving suspiciously, waiting for somebody they know is coming, received a tip about something that might happen, practicing or training for future activities, just showing they are present which could deter people from doing something bad because they assume nobody ever checks.

Perhaps it was the arrival of the Qatar flight that was due.

 

[Elwyn]

I arrived at Edinburgh airport other day. Managed to get through passport control using the e gates quickly. I did notice customs present which I don't always see. Police were also present but not in police uniform but shirt and tie. Anyone know what the are there for?

“I did notice Customs present” is obsolete these days. Borderforce do both passport and customs controls. They are all Borderforce officers nowadays. Same uniform. Same powers.

Passport control in the UK requires everyone to be checked. The Customs aspect is different and is intelligence led. So not every flight or every passenger is checked.

The police may be there to intercept someone who is known to be of interest, or they may be there for other crime related purposes. Could be terrorist related but ordinary decent criminals take holidays same as the rest of us. Why not nick them at a place where you know they are going to be? (You are never going to know precisely why the police were there).

The broad idea is to keep inadmissible passengers, smugglers, terrorists and criminals out of the country. Or to arrest them on arrival. I’d say that might have a reasonable level of public support.

 

[therailwayking]

Hi there,
Exact same with me.
Since Brexit, I do find a massive difference between the Nordics and the Med states.
Here is my summary of places I have been to post Brexit on a British Passport ( I travel to an EEA member at least once a month for both work and tourism):

Malta - No questions, just stamp
Portugal - EGates, then stamp no questions
Spain - EGates, then stamp no questions
France - EGates, then stamp no questions
Czechia - No questions, just stamp
Poland - Brief questions, then stamp
Hungary - Egates, then stamp no questions
Italy - EGates, then stamp no questions
Germany - Normally a mini interrogation
Netherlands - At first I got royally interrogated going over (return ticket checked, counted all my stamps and proof of money checked, but now they have calmed down a lot and I just get a few questions
Denmark - Normally a mini interrogation but usually very friendly
Norway - Like Denmark, an interrogation but friendly
Sweden - Awful, by far the worst. Everytime a royal interrogation done in a very stern manner. Do they do this to Americans too I wonder? Is it point scoring over Brexit or is just a policy to do this to every non-EEA citizen? I also got thoroughly interrogated on a Denmark-Sweden ferry (they saw I had a non EU passport on one of their 'random checks' so had a field day, so much for border free Schengen)
Cyprus - EGates, then stamp no questions
Finland - Brief questions, then stamp
Switzerland - Also pretty awful. Second worse to Sweden I would say. Chap in front of me was British and they wanted proof of the conference he was going to etc.
Romania - Brief questions, then stamp
Belgium - Brief questions, then stamp

The tough approach by the likes of Sweden is pointless. I can just fly to Paris, go through the E-Gate without issue then fly onwards to Sweden unchecked.

FWIW I have compiled a list of EU/EEA states that allow UK citizens to use E-Gates: Hungary, Cyprus, Spain (some airports), Italy, France, Belgium (newly added), Portugal and of course Ireland (CTA)

Hopefully the EES/ETIAS system will allow for more E-Gate usage for non-EEA nationals. As you rightly point out the UK allows ALL EEA citizens to use E-Gates at our airports and at Gare du Nord.
It would be a laugh to see the UK reciprocate by making Swedish, Swiss, Dutch, German etc citizens queue up for ages and be interrogated.

 

[Starmill]

Sweden - Awful, by far the worst. Everytime a royal interrogation done in a very stern manner. Do they do this to Americans too I wonder? Is it point scoring over Brexit or is just a policy to do this to every non-EEA citizen? I also got thoroughly interrogated on a Denmark-Sweden ferry (they saw I had a non EU passport on one of their 'random checks' so had a field day, so much for border free Schengen)

Schengen usually isn't passport-free for third country nationals. The countries that allow ID cards only for journeys within Schengen do not allow non-Schengen ID cards.

Unfortunately I think you're misunderstanding what the purpose of Schengen is here. It's to make intra-Schengen travel frictionless for the benefit of Schengen citizens (or residents in some cases). It ain't to make life smoother for third country nationals. Indeed one of the key planks of Schengen when it strarted was more stringently-controlled common external border. Sweden is simply falling in line with "Schengen 2.0" on that early.

But surely once that is done entering the EU (which we used to belong to of course) will be a piece of cake?

So goes the theory.

I think the reality is that if you get a red flag you'll need to answer their questions.

 

[route101]

Hi there,
Exact same with me.
Since Brexit, I do find a massive difference between the Nordics and the Med states.
Here is my summary of places I have been to post Brexit on a British Passport ( I travel to an EEA member at least once a month for both work and tourism):

Malta - No questions, just stamp
Portugal - EGates, then stamp no questions
Spain - EGates, then stamp no questions
France - EGates, then stamp no questions
Czechia - No questions, just stamp
Poland - Brief questions, then stamp
Hungary - Egates, then stamp no questions
Italy - EGates, then stamp no questions
Germany - Normally a mini interrogation
Netherlands - At first I got royally interrogated going over (return ticket checked, counted all my stamps and proof of money checked, but now they have calmed down a lot and I just get a few questions
Denmark - Normally a mini interrogation but usually very friendly
Norway - Like Denmark, an interrogation but friendly
Sweden - Awful, by far the worst. Everytime a royal interrogation done in a very stern manner. Do they do this to Americans too I wonder? Is it point scoring over Brexit or is just a policy to do this to every non-EEA citizen? I also got thoroughly interrogated on a Denmark-Sweden ferry (they saw I had a non EU passport on one of their 'random checks' so had a field day, so much for border free Schengen)
Cyprus - EGates, then stamp no questions
Finland - Brief questions, then stamp
Switzerland - Also pretty awful. Second worse to Sweden I would say. Chap in front of me was British and they wanted proof of the conference he was going to etc.
Romania - Brief questions, then stamp
Belgium - Brief questions, then stamp

The tough approach by the likes of Sweden is pointless. I can just fly to Paris, go through the E-Gate without issue then fly onwards to Sweden unchecked.

FWIW I have compiled a list of EU/EEA states that allow UK citizens to use E-Gates: Hungary, Cyprus, Spain (some airports), Italy, France, Belgium (newly added), Portugal and of course Ireland (CTA)

Hopefully the EES/ETIAS system will allow for more E-Gate usage for non-EEA nationals. As you rightly point out the UK allows ALL EEA citizens to use E-Gates at our airports and at Gare du Nord.
It would be a laugh to see the UK reciprocate by making Swedish, Swiss, Dutch, German etc citizens queue up for ages and be interrogated.

I had no issues at Geneva few weeks back when staying just for one night.
I do wonder if they get suspicious if going to EU for a very short time.

 

[Canary73]

I had no issues at Geneva few weeks back when staying just for one night.
I do wonder if they get suspicious if going to EU for a very short time.

I take my holidays to the Nordic and Baltic countries as I like the cold so I go in the Autumn & Winter which usually gets questioning as to why I'm going at this time of year. As others have said they aren't too bad. I'm playing to get back to Stockholm at some point so will see what they are like at Arlanda

 

[Wolfie]

Agreed I go to the US fairly often and they can be slow but not overtly obstructive - but the US has this reputation as a 'nasty' place whereas Sweden is supposed to be nice and smiley...

My best Sweden experience was being told by the woman on the exit booth that 'You have miserable and unhappy face' after being kept waiting for 45 minutes. They had been letting US citizens exit through the Schengen queue in this time...

I'm told this thing about prioritise people with Swedish ID cards is not really lawful but they do it anyway.

I was impressed with Landvetter - you could have eaten your dinner off the floor, it was that clean.

Denmark is friendlier, but I can't read Danish (can read Swedish)

Re your first para the one time that l had any issue entering the US was when a Latino immigration officer at JFK got interested in the Havana entry and exit stamps in my passport. I think, had it not been for the A2 visa l held (as a foreign government employer travelling to the US for business reasons - one level down from a diplomatic visa) he would have tried to deny me entry.

One of my staff was biometriced at Chicago in violation of Homeland Security's stated policy for A2 visa holders. That led to a formal complaint from HMG.

 

[Starmill]

I'm told this thing about prioritise people with Swedish ID cards is not really lawful but they do it anyway.

Once again, there are border rules as a matter of treaty which they've freely agreed to in respect of the Schengen countries, yes. But what's to stop them discriminating against third country nationals? The UK's trade and cooperation agreement didn't specify anything of this nature for us.