Brexit and its implications for British, HU and any other citizens

    I'd think if a UK national  wanted perm. residence in Hungary they could get it easily enough.
If you are married to a HU citizen it should be super easy.
I am from a so called,"3rd" country, the US but married to a HU citizen.
I had a bit of a time due to slow mail and needing more offical papers then one would think was normal but in the end i got a 5 year temp permit and now have a 10 year perm.permit.
Can come and go from HU and back without the 90 day thing attached.
As far as I remember reading with my perm resident card, I can be out of HU for up to one full year without telling immigation.
With a temp card it was only 90 days.
They seem a bit liberal or at least they used to be with not  making a big deal out of being gone longer then 90 dyas when re entering HU.
I do not think being from the US has an extra perks to it.
This morning I read on yahoo.news that Hungary came in at number 25 out of 25 countries that welcome Americans.
IDK about that either, haven't experienced any big welcomes here personally.
In fact I thought it was a liablity at times.
Very strange that they are taking fingerprints from Turkish passport holders.
My husband said awhile back Erdogan was leaving a hotel in Budapest and some guy started cursing him out from across the st.
A bunch of security guards jumped the guy .
Perhaps as he is a big buddy of OV they are trying to screen any potention ,"trouble makers" from Turkey who oppose him?
Just a wild guess. My husband said he visits HU allot.
   

    -@Marilyn Tassy

People can still move to countries, they need a visa. The trouble is the UK lost the freedom of movement so they need a separate visa for each country. If Mr Fluffy wants to work in Austria he would need a Visa and take a language exam, which applies to Germany and Holland as well. I think there are some exceptions like a Uni Professor giving a talk etc....

    I'd think if a UK national  wanted perm. residence in Hungary they could get it easily enough.
If you are married to a HU citizen it should be super easy.
I am from a so called,"3rd" country, the US but married to a HU citizen.
I had a bit of a time due to slow mail and needing more offical papers then one would think was normal but in the end i got a 5 year temp permit and now have a 10 year perm.permit.
Can come and go from HU and back without the 90 day thing attached.
As far as I remember reading with my perm resident card, I can be out of HU for up to one full year without telling immigation.
With a temp card it was only 90 days.
They seem a bit liberal or at least they used to be with not  making a big deal out of being gone longer then 90 days when re entering HU.
I do not think being from the US has an extra perks to it.
This morning I read on yahoo.news that Hungary came in at number 25 out of 25 countries that welcome Americans.
IDK about that either, haven't experienced any big welcomes here personally.
In fact I thought it was a liability at times.
Very strange that they are taking fingerprints from Turkish passport holders.
My husband said awhile back Erdogan was leaving a hotel in Budapest and some guy started cursing him out from across the st.
A bunch of security guards jumped the guy .
Perhaps as he is a big buddy of OV they are trying to screen any potential ,"trouble makers" from Turkey who oppose him?
Just a wild guess. My husband said he visits HU  a lot.
   
    -@Marilyn Tassy

Since Brexit, we're the same as US citizens or any others too - 3CNs or Third Country Nationals.  No special favours for us it seems, unless you count the unusable e-gates at the airport.  Useful as a chocolate teapot.

RP says I'm exercising my rights under Article 50 (which means the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement).  I think the 90 days doesn't apply but is more like 6 months. I did read it a while back but i've forgotten now and I didn't look it up again (it is Xmas Day, I'm thinking of Xmas lunch rather than immigration).  I am annoyed with the RPs as they don't take into account any of what went before.  They should have given us all 10-year permits.

I noticed these Turkish folks had different coloured passports.  Some green, some red.  Maybe these were like service or diplomatic passports.  Anyways, one of the Turkish guys was of some interest to the border guards.  When I went through the Customs area, the guy was being taken away to an office for interview (I presume).  He fitted the "profile". Under 30 and a potential migrant.

But the others Turkish folk had plastic cards - they were not EU format RPs, but possibly Turkish ID cards.  Presumably these have to be used with a passport if the passport doesn't have a chip in it.  I thought all those kinds of passports were long gone.

If I saw Erdogan on the other side of the street, I'd shout abuse at him too!  And OV and cronies. And Putin.  And Fico. And I doubt any of them will be coming to my village anytime soon. Probably easier to count the ones I wouldn't shout abuse at.

People can still move to countries, they need a visa. The trouble is the UK lost the freedom of movement so they need a separate visa for each country. If Mr Fluffy wants to work in Austria he would need a Visa and take a language exam, which applies to Germany and Holland as well. I think there are some exceptions like a Uni Professor giving a talk etc....
   
    -@SimCityAT

Sure, this is a loss I and my eldest kids feel acutely.   My eldest kids cannot travel and work freely in the EU. The younger ones can as they have EU passports.

Brexit Buffoons did not negotiate EU wide continuity.  A foolishness that will affect people for a generation.  It's unfinished business as far as I am concerned.

Mrs F and I are pretty  sick of the situation here and what with our eldest going to Uni in 2024, we're talking of going somewhere else for 3 or 4 years or more until the present government in HU is very much out of power and consigned forever to the dustbin of history.

Several other straws are hurting the camel's back - one is the agency OV has set up called the Sovereignty Protection Agency and the other one (apparently) is the Education minister wants to withdraw all arts funding. It's a serious blow to our eldest who wants to study visual arts, potentially here in HU.     We don't know the extent of the planned removal of funding.   The Education minister was head of the Intelligence agency here and sees things in militaristic and security terms - arts is wasteful (notwithstanding the large movie making sector here).  Looks like everyone should study STEM subjects and join the Police or Army.  I cannot see this working out for them.  My kids already say they want to leave.   

    People can still move to countries, they need a visa. The trouble is the UK lost the freedom of movement so they need a separate visa for each country. If Mr Fluffy wants to work in Austria he would need a Visa and take a language exam, which applies to Germany and Holland as well. I think there are some exceptions like a Uni Professor giving a talk etc....        -@SimCityAT

Sure, this is a loss I and my eldest kids feel acutely.   My eldest kids cannot travel and work freely in the EU. The younger ones can as they have EU passports.

Brexit Buffoons did not negotiate EU wide continuity.  A foolishness that will affect people for a generation.  It's unfinished business as far as I am concerned.

Mrs F and I are pretty  sick of the situation here and what with our eldest going to Uni in 2024, we're talking of going somewhere else for 3 or 4 years or more until the present government in HU is very much out of power and consigned forever to the dustbin of history.

Several other straws are hurting the camel's back - one is the agency OV has set up called the Sovereignty Protection Agency and the other one (apparently) is the Education minister wants to withdraw all arts funding. It's a serious blow to our eldest who wants to study visual arts, potentially here in HU.     We don't know the extent of the planned removal of funding.   The Education minister was head of the Intelligence agency here and sees things in militaristic and security terms - arts is wasteful (notwithstanding the large movie making sector here).  Looks like everyone should study STEM subjects and join the Police or Army.  I cannot see this working out for them.  My kids already say they want to leave.   
   

    -@fluffy2560

Its only Ireland if you want to stay in Europe, because the Tories want to increase the amount you have from 18k to 25k to 38k.

        I'd think if a UK national  wanted perm. residence in Hungary they could get it easily enough.If you are married to a HU citizen it should be super easy.I am from a so called,"3rd" country, the US but married to a HU citizen.I had a bit of a time due to slow mail and needing more offical papers then one would think was normal but in the end i got a 5 year temp permit and now have a 10 year perm.permit.Can come and go from HU and back without the 90 day thing attached.As far as I remember reading with my perm resident card, I can be out of HU for up to one full year without telling immigation.With a temp card it was only 90 days.They seem a bit liberal or at least they used to be with not  making a big deal out of being gone longer then 90 dyas when re entering HU.I do not think being from the US has an extra perks to it.This morning I read on yahoo.news that Hungary came in at number 25 out of 25 countries that welcome Americans.IDK about that either, haven't experienced any big welcomes here personally.In fact I thought it was a liablity at times.Very strange that they are taking fingerprints from Turkish passport holders.My husband said awhile back Erdogan was leaving a hotel in Budapest and some guy started cursing him out from across the st.A bunch of security guards jumped the guy .Perhaps as he is a big buddy of OV they are trying to screen any potention ,"trouble makers" from Turkey who oppose him?Just a wild guess. My husband said he visits HU allot.        -@Marilyn Tassy

People can still move to countries, they need a visa. The trouble is the UK lost the freedom of movement so they need a separate visa for each country. If Mr Fluffy wants to work in Austria he would need a Visa and take a language exam, which applies to Germany and Holland as well. I think there are some exceptions like a Uni Professor giving a talk etc....
   

    -@SimCityAT

I do believe these are also rules for us,"Americans" visas for every darn thing, Money talks and you know what walks...

I understand being taxed out of your mind, paying your own way and then being treated like MUD hurts.

We in the US have sadly been police to the world for so long and over taxed and abused as everyday citizens that I'm afriad the people are going to uprise soon in the US.

Then the so called,"Trickle down theory" as Trump put it, will actually happen world wide.

If the big dog goes down it will not take long for the small fish to fry too.

I heard some low income people in the US in several states did not get their food stamps this month!

When your hungry , you get mad.

People with low income are usually single mothers and older folks.

The food banks can not support the amount of people needing aid.

At the US S. boarder today they say over 6,000 people want to enter, illegally.

Something my mind can't get around, imposing yourself on another country without being invited or having the resorces to make your own way.

Not a good situation and soon it will explode.

Sorry to say if the US goes down , it will be like dominos...

Not sure how many weapons are in the US but allot.

Madness, totally madness will follow.

I feel safer for some reason here in HU then in the US.

Its only Ireland if you want to stay in Europe, because the Tories want to increase the amount you have from 18k to 25k to 38k.        -@SimCityAT

Yes, I followed that story.  It's really unhelpful but I don't see the Tories making it into 2025.  It might get reversed as it's really unpopular.   

As for EU moves, Mrs F and I will be too old to work within  6 or 7 years so we'd be retirees.  Not sure if that means much.

Will that UK visa crap apply to Mrs F if it happens at all?  No-one knows.   We're not enamoured to go there anyway.  We'd have considered Spain but Brexit stomped on that.

Only the alleged date-rape drug Home Secretary will be spouting nonsense only to be overturned at the next cabinet. I don't know how those people can live with themselves.

Some interesting reading https://www.britishineurope.org/articles/136295-bie-seasonal-greetings-getting-ready-to-vote-blog-2-faqs

    Some interesting reading https://www.britishineurope.org/articles/136295-bie-seasonal-greetings-getting-ready-to-vote-blog-2-faqs-@SimCityAT

Good one!

I could never understand why we long term overseas residents were ever banned from voting. 

To me, being registered at the Embassy and turning up there to vote would have been easy to arrange.  Not that the British Embassy was any use to anyone in dire straights.   I always remember a book I read about being banged up in Thailand and escaping and the upshot was to take Embassy personnel's advice with a pinch of salt.   The subject of the book escaped by some means and got out of the country by various means.  I'll have to look up the story again.

I'm going to have to help our teenager register for UK elections.  It should be straight forward I expect but no NI number so that will be interesting too.

Outrageous!

Spanish woman with right to work in UK deported after returning from holiday

Interesting that many people do not have completed paperwork.  Mrs F is in the same boat.  Never heard another thing from the UK government. 

Brexit ‘isn’t working’, says London mayor

https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-uk-relations/news/brexit-isnt-working-says-london-mayor

    Brexit ‘isn’t working’, says London mayor
https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-uk-relations/news/brexit-isnt-working-says-london-mayor-@SimCityAT

If the statistics are correct, that's quite a loss for London.  It's a bit obvious that costs could only increase with Brexit.  It shouldn't a surprise to anyone.

I am wondering if last night's strike on Yemen will give Sunak his Thatcher/Falkland's moment.

        Brexit ‘isn’t working’, says London mayorhttps://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-uk-relations/news/brexit-isnt-working-says-london-mayor-@SimCityAT

If the statistics are correct, that's quite a loss for London.  It's a bit obvious that costs could only increase with Brexit.  It shouldn't a surprise to anyone.

I am wondering if last night's strike on Yemen will give Sunak his Thatcher/Falkland's moment.
   

    -@fluffy2560

Last night was a warning after the rebels attacked a UK Navy ship.

Brexit: New report suggests UK £311bn worse off by 2035 due to leaving EU

No surprises at all on the losses.  It's clear that introducing more bureaucracy will increase cost.  I used to buy quite a lot of things from the UK and have them sent here as it as easy to do. Not any more. I now buy things on Aliexpress and they come all the way from China.   

I listened to Richard Tice's interview on LBC this morning.  He's the leader of UKIP's successor party Reform or Reveal or whatever it's called.

I've never heard such hogwash.  Bloke's a multi-millionaire and wants to cut services and blah-blah immigration blah-blah stop the boats.  So disconnected from reality it's not funny.

Looks like politically he couldn't run a bath, never mind the country.

UK Voters

    UK Voters-@SimCityAT

Looks like the source is here.

As of 17 Jan 2024,  a tad under 4000 had registered from abroad.  The numbers aren't broken down by country or region or grouping (like EU27) which is a disappointment. 

BTW, update:

I went through the process of registering our 18 year old and there's a question about where the person registering lived in the UK and on what dates. 

Of course, that makes no sense at all as there's never been a residence there.  So I just put year of birth in. 

There's a request for an NI number but we don't have an NI number. 

They also try to link any previous voter registration for me to our kid.  Well, I haven't been on the register for many years obviously as I left so long ago.   

I used my parents (RIP) postcode.

Lots of daft questions it seems.

I think all that really matters is a valid UK passport.

ID is problematic.

I have thought about obtaining an NI number for our kid but doesn't seem much point really as we're not expecting work there - more chance of going to Spain or Italy.

I also thought about getting a provisional DL but that's again, a bit pointless.  Might as well pass the test here in HU and be immune from speeding fines while there. I don't see much chance of driving there and needing a UK DL. 

Plenty of foreign (non-UK) ID documents already.

I am glad I only fly.......

Tourists could face 14-HOUR queues to enter Europe under new rules

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/tourists-could-face-14-hour-queues-to-enter-europe-under-new-rules-367582

    I am glad I only fly.......


Tourists could face 14-HOUR queues to enter Europe under new rules

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/tourists-could-face-14-hour-queues-to-enter-europe-under-new-rules-367582-@SimCityAT

Yup, knew that one was coming.  It's still not clear to me that those of us with RPs have to actually do something?

Is it something like put our RP numbers in an application for EES and we don't pay or what? 

There's no way a 14h delay will be acceptable at Dover.  We might see some sort of half-way solution for British citizens that doesn't involve the silliness of EES post-Brexit.

I think things will have to be changed and I'm expecting a change in the way the border is run if not in relation to EES just generally because the Tories will lose the election. 

Another Boris Brexit benefit it seems coming home to roost.

We hardly ever travel by road to the UK these days so it's not going to seriously affect us but any barriers raise my ire.

Last time we went via Rotterdam; Mrs C drove us off the boat and through Customs and the KMar; she took us through the EU passport lane, and nobody said a word about what we may be carrying, my UK passport or was remotely interested in Boris's Animal Health Certificate.

    Last time we went via Rotterdam; Mrs C drove us off the boat and through Customs and the KMar; she took us through the EU passport lane, and nobody said a word about what we may be carrying, my UK passport or was remotely interested in Boris's Animal Health Certificate.
   

    -@Cynic

I've been on that route several times.

I can imagine no-one cares.  If you've still got a red passport, they probably just wave. 

But now I've got a dark blue one and it draws their attention.   

I could get a maroon coloured cover for it.  It's not like I need the stamp as I've got an RP and they aren't supposed to stamp it anyway.  It might be a problem checking me in and out. 

It's all annoying.  Most hassle I have is queueing in Hungary with the non-EU persons and general waste of time jobsworths at the German passports.   

Boris and 52% of the electorate should be doing time for messing 48% around.

   
Yup, knew that one was coming.  It's still not clear to me that those of us with RPs have to actually do something?



    -@fluffy2560

We dont have to do anything, they already have our fingerprints. All thy will do is scan the card which they are already doing so.

       Yup, knew that one was coming.  It's still not clear to me that those of us with RPs have to actually do something?     -@fluffy2560

We dont have to do anything, they already have our fingerprints. All thy will do is scan the card which they are already doing so.
   

    -@SimCityAT

So how is this going to work when you're at the check-in desk? 

Presumably the airline has to check you have an EES reference to allow you on the plane? 

And when arriving in an EU country, are we going to be subject to being fingerprinted again to make sure it all matches up - card vs person?  Or can we go through the e-gates on a passport or card alone?

It's just not clear how it's going to work in practice. I've seen nothing about changes at airports or ports, just worst case bad news.

I have seen new gear at several airports - fingerprint readers and cameras but I thought they were unused.  But as I said in a previous post, I saw Turkish people having their fingerprints taken at Budapest airport.  They had Turkish ID cards and passports.   They weren't on camera as far as I could see.

BTW,  I was on United Airlines in the USA earlier this year and they don't use boarding cards as such, you have to queue up at a facial recognition machine.  It doesn't work very well.  It broke down a lot and was quite slow.   Seemed a good idea at the time I'm sure.

And as we all know, there are no UK passport exit checks at UK airports. 

I could see a technological deal being done to reintroduce them or pre-scan on a mobile app for an airline and send data to the EU via say, the check-in API (Advanced Passenger Information).   Or just provide a EES reference.

I'd be interested to see how EES will work operationally.  Seen nothing about it.

No idea how it will work for the others, but all we need to do is, show them our Passport and Article 50 card and that's it.

I've had a snoop around and it seems EES doesn't necessarily use the same system as ETIAS.  And EES is layered on top of existing arrangements.

It looks like a traveller subject to EES goes to an EES terminal in the airport and enters their data/answers questions, blah-blah etc.  Either the terminals give out a reference number electronically or a paper slip (token).  Not clear if this can be done at home in some way as it seems to want fingerprints (a lot of phones support finger prints but maybe the EU never thought of that as EES has been in planning for years).

The traveller takes the token to the appropriate passport control as before and the passport busybodies check the documents and lets the person through or not.  For us, with Article 50 RPs, nothing changes, we do the same as before and as usual we cannot use any e-gates if we have an RP.

So it could be a traveller has a valid ticket and passport but cannot get past passports as EES won't issue a token.  Then they wouldn't be let on the plane. 

But it seems airlines won't know anything about the validity, only the EES terminals will give that out unless before check-in EES has to be used.

As far as the UK (or Ireland) goes, I cannot see how this works because we don't have passport exit checks and I am not sure if the EU would allow EES terminals at UK airports and the UK government might refuse it anyway.  The UK is of course going to introduce it's own ETA system in the same timeframes.  Chaos will ensure as the UK pathetically cannot even operate e-gates reliably. 

In Ireland it must be extra weird. If you arrive in Dublin from an EU country, a British traveller should be able to just walk out the airport maybe as they are not subject to border control. I suppose they check all EU passports anyway.  Not really sure how it works in Ireland as I've never been there.

Of course they allow French immigration at Dover and Calais has British immigration too but that's not the same as an airport as it's only one country. 

Ireland/UK is a bit weird - called the Common Travel Area, it applies to UK and Irish citizens (not residents) and has been in place since 1923 and is still in place post Brexit.  Citizens do not need a passport to travel from the UK to Ireland, and vice-versa for Irish citizens.  However, you do need to be able to prove your entitlement to use the CTA rules and the only way to do that is with a UK or Irish passport.

    Ireland/UK is a bit weird - called the Common Travel Area, it applies to UK and Irish citizens (not residents) and has been in place since 1923 and is still in place post Brexit.  Citizens do not need a passport to travel from the UK to Ireland, and vice-versa for Irish citizens.  However, you do need to be able to prove your entitlement to use the CTA rules and the only way to do that is with a UK or Irish passport.
   

    -@Cynic

I'm familiar with the CTA. One of my kids is shacked up with an Irish citizen.  I'm going to ask how it works.  I do know to live and work in the UK, a bit of extra work was required to prove that entitlement. 

But also yes, one of those typical  government oddities - I believe at Dublin, one has to show one's passport to show that one is not subject to immigration controls.  Ryanair requires passports (as photo ID) anyway so hmmm....maybe a DL is sufficient.

Obvious Schengen doesn't apply on the island of Ireland although I don't know what happens if one flies EU to Belfast, presumably one uses the e-gates as normal.  I suppose one also uses the e-gates in Dublin.  Or does one pass directly through as though a domestic flight when arriving from say Manchester?

And what will happen with EES?  Departing Dublin, presumably one will need a token to pass passports to reach the plane unless going to the UK, when none is required?

I've no idea. It seems to be very poorly communicated. And no-one seems to know anything for sure.  Maybe EES will be delayed again because it will cause so much chaos.

I'm going to disappear up my own fundament or implode if I think too hard about this.

Meanwhile:

France blocks plans to let British expats stay longer than 90 days without a visa

As far as immigration matters are concerned, Ireland hasn't changed much since the 1920s - the troubles may have gone politically, but Government departments have long memories.

That French thing has put the cat amongst "le pigeons"; many were seeing this as the crack in the Brexit wall that would allow people to carry on living abroad and not have to go home after 90 days; it was also of interest to people such as yourself because if a French court had rubber-stamped it, it would have been much easier for the rest to follow suit.  Sadly, there is no appeal mechanism for the French courts on this matter.

    As far as immigration matters are concerned, Ireland hasn't changed much since the 1920s - the troubles may have gone politically, but Government departments have long memories.That French thing has put the cat amongst "le pigeons"; many were seeing this as the crack in the Brexit wall that would allow people to carry on living abroad and not have to go home after 90 days; it was also of interest to people such as yourself because if a French court had rubber-stamped it, it would have been much easier for the rest to follow suit.  Sadly, there is no appeal mechanism for the French courts on this matter.        -@Cynic

I suppose they will rephrase it and try it again.  Chat au milieu des pigeons indeed.  They can keep doing it until we know France is a safe country to own a house

I'm not sure what's unconstitutional about it. I didn't check on it but there must be Gallic shrug of logic in it somewhere.

But in any case, I'm expecting a different scenario post-election. I expect a considerable loosening of all these restrictions.  If they don't try and sort it, the UK will become a complete backwater.  It's already hemorrhaging industries and talent.

Tomorrow (Wed 31 Jan 2024) is a going to be a black day.  EU agricultural imports INTO the UK will be subject to a variety of inspections. 

From what I read, many EU suppliers aren't going to bother selling into the UK. It's just not worth the hassle and paperwork.  Expect shortages of European products - smelly but tasty cheese, wine, frogs legs, foie gras, snails etc.

    As far as immigration matters are concerned, Ireland hasn't changed much since the 1920s - the troubles may have gone politically, but Government departments have long memories.     -@Cynic

I've been reading. 48h before a flight, EES eligibility will be checked online by carriers via a carrier interface.   Some traffic methods - like river or train traffic - is not subject to ETIAS/EES.   So it's already half baked, one size doesn't fit all.   Probably the terminal is the first enrollment (or not, many groups not within scope).  It means still queueing up at passports.  In other words, meh, another level of bureaucracy, wasting our time and not theirs.

Using my spies/informants, I'm told for Ireland, inbound to Dublin from the UK is considered an international flight with passport checks.  Outbound to the UK is considered domestic in the UK with no passport controls on arrival.

People here will know I travel a lot

I am compiling a score for who is nice at Passport Control (my rating, 11 outstanding, 10 best, 0 worst):

Austria 7 ( they were nice and happy today at Vienna Airport)

Japan 6 (really happy I asked for a souvenir exit stamp, made the stamper seem valued)

Poland and UK 5 (before Brexit 6 but now low 5 for UK)

Hungary 3 or 4 (officious and dour faced miseries)

Germany 2 or 3 (incompetent to look stuff up)

USA 1 (nasty usually regardless, sorry US peeps)

Canada 1 (before 9/11, I'd had said 6 but nasty last time so avoid which is a real shame as every Canadian I've met is usually Ann of Green Gables nice)

I base my rating purely on my own recent experiences.

YMMV!

IDK, I am no longer a big traveler but in my experience with passport control my list would be..

Either Belize, Poland or Canada at the top. We drove into Poland so can not really say anything about the airport agents. IDK, I suppose I was so excited to see Poland where my father was born that I just thought everyone there was super nice.

Canada was super friendly and gave us a huge welcome .

Hungary is like with most everything else, passive,aggressive. Hot or cold.

Germany was the worst, so bad that I now refuse to step foot in that country. Just do not need the hassle.

UK was so so.

USA, well yes, they are over the top strict but here and there .I have had them except an over heavy bag without extra charge etc. I would seriously avoid going to JFK airport. Such a confusing place with so many unhelpful bossy agents treating everyone like cattle.

I previously posted that having a Hungarian (or maybe any EU) driving license would make you "immune" to speeding fines in post-Brexit Britain.  And so it would seem. 

To recap, last August 2023, I got caught on a camera driving a UK car and the cops were after me!  I replied to their letters with all details, 100% correct information was provided, said it was me and so on.   I got an extra nasty letter at my UK address threatening me with £1000 in fines.  So I called them directly and they said they couldn't do anything and everything was cancelled!  Just like that!   

There's no way to add points onto an EU license now.  It's just not worth pursuing for them especially as I told them everything they asked.  I expected to be fined. I even said I was the driver.  Not that it's admitting to the offence but doesn't matter, it's over!  Only taken 6 months.  She even apologised for causing me stress!

    IDK, I am no longer a big traveler but in my experience with passport control my list would be..Either Belize, Poland or Canada at the top. We drove into Poland so can not really say anything about the airport agents. IDK, I suppose I was so excited to see Poland where my father was born that I just thought everyone there was super nice.Canada was super friendly and gave us a huge welcome .Hungary is like with most everything else, passive,aggressive. Hot or cold.Germany was the worst, so bad that I now refuse to step foot in that country. Just do not need the hassle.UK was so so.USA, well yes, they are over the top strict but here and there .I have had them except an over heavy bag without extra charge etc. I would seriously avoid going to JFK airport. Such a confusing place with so many unhelpful bossy agents treating everyone like cattle.        -@Marilyn Tassy

Stranger things afoot:

Germany: I was in Frankfurt airport a few days ago and the passport guy spoke to me in very badly accented Hungarian.  He was testing me.  I replied in Hungarian. Then told him what he said in German.  At least he was smiling, possibly at my accented German.  He must have been on the nice "customer" services course. I suppose "customer" abuse courses come later as cynicism builds.   I had to queue up in a massive queue with few agents working and nearly missed boarding.   Brexiteers voted for inconvenience.

USA:  I received an e-mail  from US Govt CBP telling me I had 11 days to leave the country.  I haven't been there since before Xmas.  Bit weird because surely they should know I left.  Obviously things are not quite as joined up as they would have  us believe.  Now I don't know what will happen when I go back.  Obviously I left as I must have done to re-enter.   I wouldn't like to have to prove it as I don't carry that stuff around with me other than in my passport stamps.

That is crazy about the US thinking you are still there.

IDK, maybe call up the embassy when you have time here in Hungary?

Logic and gov. polices  often do not mix.

    That is crazy about the US thinking you are still there.
IDK, maybe call up the embassy when you have time here in Hungary?
Logic and gov. polices  often do not mix.
   

    -@Marilyn Tassy

I can see I entered the USA on a CBP web site but for some reason, it doesn't show I left.  However, on the same day, I have stamps showing I left US territory and entered another country on the same day.  This has to be enough.  I even flew United, so they SHOULD know all about it.

Obviously I don't want to be labelled an overstayer but I don't want to be locked up while they mess around.

I was once "held" in a room (full of Asian people) at Schipol Airport while they "checked my passport".   Checked for what?  Who knows?!  I was only there about 20 minutes.  But it was bewildering to be in such a position.

I got my bag rummaged through a while back.   They didn't like my medicines.  I know some Customs guys and I asked them why me?  They said I was probably profiled.  Like  WTF?  Over 60s and very boring.  What were they trying to find?  Some reason to say I am not as boring as I seem?  If they find out, I hope they'd let me know!

I hate bureaucracy.   

CBP says  you can see your admissions here by entering details about your  I94 form (record of admission).  It goes back years.  US citizens obviously don't fill those individual I-94s in.  Those with ESTAs don't either.

My EX HU DIL overstayed in the US without informing us!

Liar that she was, is.

She stayed for 6 months before she married my son but only had a 90 day fiance visa.

My son said he did not know it either. There was allot about her that he did not know!

My husband loves that silly tv show, 90 Day Fiance.

That show just makes my blood boil.

My honest Japanese DIL was held at McCarran airport in the back room for hours.

She entered the US 3 times and somehow messed up with the exact 180 days of being out before returning.

My son and she got married that trip because she said she would never go through that sort of grilling again to visit him.

They seemed to think she was some sort of criminal which is the furthest thing possible.

The US is rough on people.

Even way back in the 1920s my American born grandfather was asked why he was returning to the US after many years of living in Poland.

Like he was not welcome home.

    My EX HU DIL overstayed in the US without informing us!
Liar that she was, is.
She stayed for 6 months before she married my son but only had a 90 day fiance visa.
My son said he did not know it either. There was allot about her that he did not know!
My husband loves that silly tv show, 90 Day Fiance.
That show just makes my blood boil.
My honest Japanese DIL was held at McCarran airport in the back room for hours.
She entered the US 3 times and somehow messed up with the exact 180 days of being out before returning.
My son and she got married that trip because she said she would never go through that sort of grilling again to visit him.
They seemed to think she was some sort of criminal which is the furthest thing possible.
The US is rough on people.
Even way back in the 1920s my American born grandfather was asked why he was returning to the US after many years of living in Poland.
Like he was not welcome home.
   

    -@Marilyn Tassy

I guy I knew was born in Boston (USA) but held a British passport.   He was hassled everytime he passed a US border.  They told him to get a US passport.  But he claimed he was just an "accidental American".  Essentially he'd have to rescind his US nationality.  He told me he just avoids going near the USA.  He'd never filled in a US tax form and refused to do so.  This seems to have been a long standing issue for him and as far as I know, he never resolved it.

Yet another guy I know from Ottawa was trying to disentangle his daughter's accidental American status.  She was born while he and his wife were working in New York.  Apparently the daughter didn't travel to the US for like 20+ years and they were pulled up on it at a border post.  Never  occurred to them this was a problem which is crazy as he was a long term Canadian government civil servant.  He should have known.

I sent off one of my kid's UK passport for renewal about 2 weeks ago.   Under 16s only get 5  year passports.  I sent it off early as it expires in September 2024 but thought it would be best to do asap due to holiday seasons etc. Effectively a child's British post-Brexit passport is  only valid for 4.5 years. It has to be valid for 3 months after the longest period one could be in another country (i.e. 90 days) plus another 90 days, namely 180 days or 0.5 years.

It's taken Magyar Posta 13 days to get it to the UK from Hungary.   Previously it would have been there in 3 days, possibly 5 days.

Tracking shows it's now in Langley (near Slough/Heathrow)

I think, possibly, we'll get  it back sometime at the end of April.  So that could possibly be 2 months for a turnaround.

This must be a Brexit benefit - ultra slow mail.