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Has Schengen system changed?


Has Schengen system changed?

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Supreme Being
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forever changes - 4 Oct 19 11:00 PM
AB2014 - 1 Oct 19 9:48 AM
tedstriker - 30 Sep 19 10:56 AM
forever changes - 28 Sep 19 7:11 PM
BenS - 11 Sep 19 9:38 AM
JohnL - 11 Sep 19 7:49 AM
All I did was send a registered letter to my PPU and two weeks later I got a reply back saying that any remaining flags had been deleted and that I shouldn’t now have any problems. And since then I haven’t had any issues whatsoever at the border either returning to the U.K. or entering another country.

Thanks for this advice, I will use this when I come off, good to know, cheers.

Not had a reply from Police yet but on returning to UK I got through the e-gates for the first time ever. However I've just travelled to Greece and was again stopped. A lot of conversation in Greek between 2 police and I was let through though it was very tense and embarrassing as there was a big queue behind me. When I got through the e-gates coming back last time I thought it had all been sorted, obviously not. 

This sounds like you have been removed from the UK watch system but presumably still have a live alert on the SISII system. It should drop off over time I think.

I think this is something they have to delete, rather than wait for it to expire. I'm not sure who to contact, but the police generally seem to refer all this stuff to an "International Section", maybe at the Home Office, who deal with it. If your former PPU contact doesn't know what to do, try the Data Protection Officer at your local force's HQ, as they will certainly know who deals with it.

Just got back to uk and re-experienced the freedom of going through the e-gates for 2nd time - plus when I got home there was a letter from PPU saying 'this alert' has now been removed. Great relief and thanks for all the replies, advice and support I felt from the forum while I went through this discomfort

Oh dear, I spoke too soon and had same experience as Scotboy. Just got back from a short break  in Schengen area and was stopped at their passport control on both arrival and departure. No probs coming back to UK. So was PPU lying or overclaiming for something outside his control, or are Schengen countries retaining information themselves that our Police can't control? I thought I'd cracked it so it's very dispiriting and depressing I'm still being treated like this 4 months after I came off the SOR. What can I do now?

AB2014
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forever changes - 9 Dec 19 5:26 PM
forever changes - 4 Oct 19 11:00 PM
AB2014 - 1 Oct 19 9:48 AM
tedstriker - 30 Sep 19 10:56 AM
forever changes - 28 Sep 19 7:11 PM
BenS - 11 Sep 19 9:38 AM
JohnL - 11 Sep 19 7:49 AM
All I did was send a registered letter to my PPU and two weeks later I got a reply back saying that any remaining flags had been deleted and that I shouldn’t now have any problems. And since then I haven’t had any issues whatsoever at the border either returning to the U.K. or entering another country.

Thanks for this advice, I will use this when I come off, good to know, cheers.

Not had a reply from Police yet but on returning to UK I got through the e-gates for the first time ever. However I've just travelled to Greece and was again stopped. A lot of conversation in Greek between 2 police and I was let through though it was very tense and embarrassing as there was a big queue behind me. When I got through the e-gates coming back last time I thought it had all been sorted, obviously not. 

This sounds like you have been removed from the UK watch system but presumably still have a live alert on the SISII system. It should drop off over time I think.

I think this is something they have to delete, rather than wait for it to expire. I'm not sure who to contact, but the police generally seem to refer all this stuff to an "International Section", maybe at the Home Office, who deal with it. If your former PPU contact doesn't know what to do, try the Data Protection Officer at your local force's HQ, as they will certainly know who deals with it.

Just got back to uk and re-experienced the freedom of going through the e-gates for 2nd time - plus when I got home there was a letter from PPU saying 'this alert' has now been removed. Great relief and thanks for all the replies, advice and support I felt from the forum while I went through this discomfort

Oh dear, I spoke too soon and had same experience as Scotboy. Just got back from a short break  in Schengen area and was stopped at their passport control on both arrival and departure. No probs coming back to UK. So was PPU lying or overclaiming for something outside his control, or are Schengen countries retaining information themselves that our Police can't control? I thought I'd cracked it so it's very dispiriting and depressing I'm still being treated like this 4 months after I came off the SOR. What can I do now?

Well, if the alert has to be removed, then if your local PPU is playing dumb, try the Chief Constable, as he/she is responsible for data protection and compliance. It may well then be passed on to the person who deals with it operationally, such as the Data Protection Officer. The fact of the matter is that your personal information seems to be being processed beyond what is allowed by the Data Protection Act 2018, so if the police won't help you, the ICO ought to.

=========================================================================================================

If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

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Supreme Being
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Posts: 561, Visits: 101
AB2014 - 10 Dec 19 10:00 AM
forever changes - 9 Dec 19 5:26 PM
forever changes - 4 Oct 19 11:00 PM
AB2014 - 1 Oct 19 9:48 AM
tedstriker - 30 Sep 19 10:56 AM
forever changes - 28 Sep 19 7:11 PM
BenS - 11 Sep 19 9:38 AM
JohnL - 11 Sep 19 7:49 AM
All I did was send a registered letter to my PPU and two weeks later I got a reply back saying that any remaining flags had been deleted and that I shouldn’t now have any problems. And since then I haven’t had any issues whatsoever at the border either returning to the U.K. or entering another country.

Thanks for this advice, I will use this when I come off, good to know, cheers.

Not had a reply from Police yet but on returning to UK I got through the e-gates for the first time ever. However I've just travelled to Greece and was again stopped. A lot of conversation in Greek between 2 police and I was let through though it was very tense and embarrassing as there was a big queue behind me. When I got through the e-gates coming back last time I thought it had all been sorted, obviously not. 

This sounds like you have been removed from the UK watch system but presumably still have a live alert on the SISII system. It should drop off over time I think.

I think this is something they have to delete, rather than wait for it to expire. I'm not sure who to contact, but the police generally seem to refer all this stuff to an "International Section", maybe at the Home Office, who deal with it. If your former PPU contact doesn't know what to do, try the Data Protection Officer at your local force's HQ, as they will certainly know who deals with it.

Just got back to uk and re-experienced the freedom of going through the e-gates for 2nd time - plus when I got home there was a letter from PPU saying 'this alert' has now been removed. Great relief and thanks for all the replies, advice and support I felt from the forum while I went through this discomfort

Oh dear, I spoke too soon and had same experience as Scotboy. Just got back from a short break  in Schengen area and was stopped at their passport control on both arrival and departure. No probs coming back to UK. So was PPU lying or overclaiming for something outside his control, or are Schengen countries retaining information themselves that our Police can't control? I thought I'd cracked it so it's very dispiriting and depressing I'm still being treated like this 4 months after I came off the SOR. What can I do now?

Well, if the alert has to be removed, then if your local PPU is playing dumb, try the Chief Constable, as he/she is responsible for data protection and compliance. It may well then be passed on to the person who deals with it operationally, such as the Data Protection Officer. The fact of the matter is that your personal information seems to be being processed beyond what is allowed by the Data Protection Act 2018, so if the police won't help you, the ICO ought to.

Well I did that and got a reply from Police that 'all alerts have definitely been deleted from police computer systems'.  I suppose that could imply a) there are things not called 'alerts' which have information about me and that have not been deleted and b)  there are systems besides 'police computer systems' that could be holding information causing me to have been stopped. I looked at the ICO website and you seem to have to say who you're complaining about, so if the Police have told me what they have I don't see how I can complain about them so who would my complaint be against? I suppose it's remotely possible that me being stopped was just a random event - twice! - and I will be travelling to the Schengen area again in a couple of weeks and not sure if I should wait to see if I am stopped again before I consider doing anything else, though I'm not sure what I could do now besides pay a solicitor £300 an hour to look into it....

BenS
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forever changes - 29 Jan 20 7:33 PM
AB2014 - 10 Dec 19 10:00 AM
forever changes - 9 Dec 19 5:26 PM
forever changes - 4 Oct 19 11:00 PM
AB2014 - 1 Oct 19 9:48 AM
tedstriker - 30 Sep 19 10:56 AM
forever changes - 28 Sep 19 7:11 PM
BenS - 11 Sep 19 9:38 AM
JohnL - 11 Sep 19 7:49 AM
All I did was send a registered letter to my PPU and two weeks later I got a reply back saying that any remaining flags had been deleted and that I shouldn’t now have any problems. And since then I haven’t had any issues whatsoever at the border either returning to the U.K. or entering another country.

Thanks for this advice, I will use this when I come off, good to know, cheers.

Not had a reply from Police yet but on returning to UK I got through the e-gates for the first time ever. However I've just travelled to Greece and was again stopped. A lot of conversation in Greek between 2 police and I was let through though it was very tense and embarrassing as there was a big queue behind me. When I got through the e-gates coming back last time I thought it had all been sorted, obviously not. 

This sounds like you have been removed from the UK watch system but presumably still have a live alert on the SISII system. It should drop off over time I think.

I think this is something they have to delete, rather than wait for it to expire. I'm not sure who to contact, but the police generally seem to refer all this stuff to an "International Section", maybe at the Home Office, who deal with it. If your former PPU contact doesn't know what to do, try the Data Protection Officer at your local force's HQ, as they will certainly know who deals with it.

Just got back to uk and re-experienced the freedom of going through the e-gates for 2nd time - plus when I got home there was a letter from PPU saying 'this alert' has now been removed. Great relief and thanks for all the replies, advice and support I felt from the forum while I went through this discomfort

Oh dear, I spoke too soon and had same experience as Scotboy. Just got back from a short break  in Schengen area and was stopped at their passport control on both arrival and departure. No probs coming back to UK. So was PPU lying or overclaiming for something outside his control, or are Schengen countries retaining information themselves that our Police can't control? I thought I'd cracked it so it's very dispiriting and depressing I'm still being treated like this 4 months after I came off the SOR. What can I do now?

Well, if the alert has to be removed, then if your local PPU is playing dumb, try the Chief Constable, as he/she is responsible for data protection and compliance. It may well then be passed on to the person who deals with it operationally, such as the Data Protection Officer. The fact of the matter is that your personal information seems to be being processed beyond what is allowed by the Data Protection Act 2018, so if the police won't help you, the ICO ought to.

Well I did that and got a reply from Police that 'all alerts have definitely been deleted from police computer systems'.  I suppose that could imply a) there are things not called 'alerts' which have information about me and that have not been deleted and b)  there are systems besides 'police computer systems' that could be holding information causing me to have been stopped. I looked at the ICO website and you seem to have to say who you're complaining about, so if the Police have told me what they have I don't see how I can complain about them so who would my complaint be against? I suppose it's remotely possible that me being stopped was just a random event - twice! - and I will be travelling to the Schengen area again in a couple of weeks and not sure if I should wait to see if I am stopped again before I consider doing anything else, though I'm not sure what I could do now besides pay a solicitor £300 an hour to look into it....

Sorry to hear this. Being optimistic, maybe the alert took a while to get deleted. Or maybe they only deleted it after getting your letter.

Let us know what happens on your trip.
scotboy
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Maybe a new passport would be the way to go.
BenS
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scotboy - 30 Jan 20 11:00 AM
Maybe a new passport would be the way to go.

The problem is the alert is not believed to be linked directly to one's passport. It is linked to the information therein, such as name, date of birth, place of birth, etc. Otherwise, any genuine criminal could simply get a new passport and travel undetected.

That being said, no harm trying.
Harmless
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forever changes - 4 Oct 19 11:00 PM
AB2014 - 1 Oct 19 9:48 AM
tedstriker - 30 Sep 19 10:56 AM
forever changes - 28 Sep 19 7:11 PM
BenS - 11 Sep 19 9:38 AM
JohnL - 11 Sep 19 7:49 AM
All I did was send a registered letter to my PPU and two weeks later I got a reply back saying that any remaining flags had been deleted and that I shouldn’t now have any problems. And since then I haven’t had any issues whatsoever at the border either returning to the U.K. or entering another country.

Thanks for this advice, I will use this when I come off, good to know, cheers.

Not had a reply from Police yet but on returning to UK I got through the e-gates for the first time ever. However I've just travelled to Greece and was again stopped. A lot of conversation in Greek between 2 police and I was let through though it was very tense and embarrassing as there was a big queue behind me. When I got through the e-gates coming back last time I thought it had all been sorted, obviously not. 

This sounds like you have been removed from the UK watch system but presumably still have a live alert on the SISII system. It should drop off over time I think.

I think this is something they have to delete, rather than wait for it to expire. I'm not sure who to contact, but the police generally seem to refer all this stuff to an "International Section", maybe at the Home Office, who deal with it. If your former PPU contact doesn't know what to do, try the Data Protection Officer at your local force's HQ, as they will certainly know who deals with it.

Just got back to uk and re-experienced the freedom of going through the e-gates for 2nd time - plus when I got home there was a letter from PPU saying 'this alert' has now been removed. Great relief and thanks for all the replies, advice and support I felt from the forum while I went through this discomfort

When they said the alert had been removed, did they name the alert?
forever changes
forever changes
Supreme Being
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Group: Forum Members
Posts: 561, Visits: 101
Harmless - 5 Feb 20 1:47 PM
forever changes - 4 Oct 19 11:00 PM
AB2014 - 1 Oct 19 9:48 AM
tedstriker - 30 Sep 19 10:56 AM
forever changes - 28 Sep 19 7:11 PM
BenS - 11 Sep 19 9:38 AM
JohnL - 11 Sep 19 7:49 AM
All I did was send a registered letter to my PPU and two weeks later I got a reply back saying that any remaining flags had been deleted and that I shouldn’t now have any problems. And since then I haven’t had any issues whatsoever at the border either returning to the U.K. or entering another country.

Thanks for this advice, I will use this when I come off, good to know, cheers.

Not had a reply from Police yet but on returning to UK I got through the e-gates for the first time ever. However I've just travelled to Greece and was again stopped. A lot of conversation in Greek between 2 police and I was let through though it was very tense and embarrassing as there was a big queue behind me. When I got through the e-gates coming back last time I thought it had all been sorted, obviously not. 

This sounds like you have been removed from the UK watch system but presumably still have a live alert on the SISII system. It should drop off over time I think.

I think this is something they have to delete, rather than wait for it to expire. I'm not sure who to contact, but the police generally seem to refer all this stuff to an "International Section", maybe at the Home Office, who deal with it. If your former PPU contact doesn't know what to do, try the Data Protection Officer at your local force's HQ, as they will certainly know who deals with it.

Just got back to uk and re-experienced the freedom of going through the e-gates for 2nd time - plus when I got home there was a letter from PPU saying 'this alert' has now been removed. Great relief and thanks for all the replies, advice and support I felt from the forum while I went through this discomfort

When they said the alert had been removed, did they name the alert?

Nope 
Daftbugger
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So has anyone recently traveled to france, Greece or any other shengen country who is on the SOR and if so what sort of checks did they get on arrival?
BenS
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Daftbugger - 6 Feb 20 11:25 AM
So has anyone recently traveled to france, Greece or any other shengen country who is on the SOR and if so what sort of checks did they get on arrival?

I travelled to Germany in October 2019. Used the e-gates, as I usually prefer to do, as they fail for so many people that it doesn't stand out if you are rejected by them.

It took an eternity at the e-gate (he must have been reading stuff), but then I got the green light and did not have to see the border officer.
GO


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