Europe’s elaborate Entry/Exit System (EES) at passport control has been plagued with issues – and they still haven’t been fixed.
asserted
they → plague → issues
The system even fails in its primary purpose: to track movements across the borders of the Schengen Area.
asserted
system → fail → Area
It’s a problem that made a British traveller be turned around and deported from Italy because the EES incorrectly stated they’d overstayed their welcome on a previous visit.
asserted
they → ’ → visit
Just one missing immigration record, through no fault of the traveller, can send a carefully planned trip into chaos.
asserted
record → miss → chaos
Imagine the horror when checking my own immigration history and finding that in June, my exit from Italy wasn’t processed correctly.
asserted
exit → imagine → Italy
According to EES, I was still there: and had now exceeded the 90-day limit for Australian visitors across any 180-day period.
uncertain
I → accord → period
I only make the discovery out of sheer curiosity, when planning another trip and entering my prospective dates into the European Union’s official website.
asserted
I → make → website
It suggests that my travel plans are “not OK”… all because somebody in Rome didn’t press the right button before I boarded my Qantas flight to Perth.
uncertain
I → suggest → Perth
Apparently, I can contact the Italian National Police and request a correction, but an update can take 30 days.
asserted
update → contact → days
That’s no use: my next trip is in a week.
asserted
trip → ’ → week
Sorry Europe, but I’m not changing my plans just because you replaced the trusty passport stamp with a dodgy computer system.
asserted
you → change → system
I’ve done nothing wrong – I’m coming whether you like it or not.
asserted
you → do → it
Expecting a battle at the border, I arrive prepared.
asserted
I → expect → border
I start by collating itineraries from my earlier European travels.
asserted
I → start → travels
Fortunately, I’m a stickler for keeping boarding passes: always handy for travel insurance claims, chasing down missing frequent flyer points, or in this case, proving where I was – and where I wasn’t.
uncertain
I → ’m → case
I also gather the same documents from other recent overseas travels and even retrieve my immigration record from the US Customs and Border Protection, showing the dates of a Stateside visit made after that trip to Italy.
asserted
I → gather → Italy
If Europe tries to turn me around, it won’t be without a fight.
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it → try → fight
My trip starts with an uneventful visit to London, then a quick 41-minute flight from Heathrow to Brussels.
asserted
trip → start → Brussels
While the destination is pure coincidence, what better place to clear things up than the birthplace of the EES?
asserted
destination → clear → EES
I’m expecting my paperwork may take time to peruse, so I pack extra water in anticipation of a slight delay.
uncertain
I → expect → delay
But stepping off the aircraft in Brussels, I’m greeted by a 2½-hour queue at passport control.
asserted
I → step → control
Whether it’s your first visit since EES or you’re already in the system (and apparently, still in the country), everybody who doesn’t have a European passport joins the same queue.
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who → ’ → queue
It takes almost two hours before the passport desks even come into view.
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desks → take → view
Meanwhile, camaraderie builds in the line.
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camaraderie → build → line
Strangers start sharing lollies and snacks.
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Strangers → start → lollies
Some find sources of humour, like measuring how long it would have taken to drive from London instead of standing in line.
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it → find → line
My role in the troop becomes that of timekeeper, announcing updates as we pass milestones (two hours gets a grumble).
asserted
hours → become → grumble
As we get closer, there’s a new source of comedy.
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we → get → comedy
The EES kiosks – which travellers would normally visit before the passport desk, to pre-process their arrival – weren’t merely switched off, they were properly broken.
asserted
they → visit → arrival
One kiosk displays an error message: the error being that it could not find the correct error message for a second problem.
uncertain
it → display → problem
Another kiosk is trying to print to a non-existent fax machine.
asserted
kiosk → try → machine
Every screen brings a new source of laughter and bewilderment.
asserted
screen → bring → laughter
Those in line are at least in good spirits, and everybody respects the queue.
asserted
everybody → respect → queue
Solo travellers in search of a restroom simply say “excuse me” to the crowd and return to the same spot without any heat.
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travellers → say → heat
We’re all in this together.
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We → ’re → this
Finally, I reach the counter and tackle the problem head-on.
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I → reach → problem
“I don’t know if the EU website matches your system, but it looks like Italy might not have recorded my last exit properly, back in June.”
uncertain
Italy → know → June
“Oh yes,” the officer replies.
asserted
officer → reply → ?
My preparation just saved the day.
asserted
preparation → save → day
Soon enough, he’s fixing my record and venting his own frustrations.
asserted
he → fix → frustrations
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
