How did the Dublin airport immigration agent know that I was refused entry to the UK after visually inspecting my passport?
- By
- Aparna Patel
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- 21 Jul, 2023
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The “cross” drawn through the stamps means leave to enter was refused. And the number doesn’t need to be blurred out, as it’s the officer that processed you, not anything to do with you
Because the UK and Ireland operate a semi-open border agreement called the Common Travel Area (CTA), Ireland has the option to refuse entry to persons with a British refusal stamp, as Ireland could be used as a backdoor to get into the UK (which is what you successfully did).
As you were admitted for two weeks by the Irish, that’s how long you get to stay in the CTA altogether
As for changing identity/passport, that is now useless seeing as your fingerprints were taken, and are shared within the CTA.
And finally, for the future, as the other answerer says: stop thinking in terms of “too personal”. As a non-EEA national you’re completely left at their mercy, and in order to increase your chances of entry, you should answer any and all questions clearly and truthfully even if (theoretically) they’re about private aspects of personal relationships.
Immigration information is shared between the UK and Ireland under a bilateral agreement, but the most obvious clue are the black lines stamped over your UK immigration stamp. The UK uses that cross symbol to indicate someone has been denied entry. That symbol is not present on an ordinary admission stamp.
Your biometrics have been recorded, and they know who you are. It is possible that a new passport would help avoid questions from immigration officials in other countries who see the stamp, but changing your name to avoid suspicion by UK border officials is not a recommended strategy. The best practices recommendation for a visa-free national who has been refused admission is to apply for entry clearance before traveling. You, of course, risk rejection, but a granted entry clearance will give you an extremely high chance of a smooth border crossing, short of suspicions of fraud or a warrant for your arrest. And it is easiest to portray yourself in the best possible light by submitting all your documents at home rather than scrambling to provide proof of funds or employment after a long overnight flight.
I would add that evasiveness is not the best strategy for a border crossing. The questions can, indeed, be quite personal, and I recognize the situation was emotionally difficult for you, but failing to answer will cause them to wonder what else you’re hiding and is unlikely to result in a successful outcome.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘