Smartgate and children - something I didn't know

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Good to hear you got it working. My 14 year old (who can be a drama queen) couldn't work out where to put the ticket on leaving NZ and my wife came forward to help her - well it was like she'd pulled out a gun! "Stand back!" etc.

I'd already gone through so was waiting on the other side - I knew it would cause a fuss but was powerless to stop it.
 
It's all to do with bone structure and facial changes that kids go through as they mature, and that happens at different ages.

An immigration dude said we should "try" our 14 year old, and she worked fine. Make the kid go through first just in case they get rejected.
 
Himeno said:
If that was the case, then they wouldn't be able to have 14 and 15 year olds able to "fool" the system.
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Yes it appears that way.

It's one matter obtaining the information and another matter working with it. They would automatically collect it from the e chip. They clearly do not use it to any effect.
 
I fly between AU and NZ semi regularly and on every flight there is an announcement about the availability of Smartgate and the age requirements - as recently as yesterday it was announced as 12 for NZ and 16 for AU.
 
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Milboo said:
I fly between AU and NZ semi regularly and on every flight there is an announcement about the availability of Smartgate and the age requirements - as recently as yesterday it was announced as 12 for NZ and 16 for AU.
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They should change the announcement as it's currently 10 yrs and over if travelling with two parents in AU just now.
 
The sign demarcating the Smartgate area clearly says over 16 only. If I'd managed to have a word with one of the minders in the queue he might have told me I could go through. Anyway we know better for next time.

How about the USA version? We're over there in June. I shudder to think how we'll go.
 
I came thru 2 weeks ago with my 16 year old and Smart Gate rejected her and we had to go to the fast track queue

Not sure why but them's the breaks
 
amaroo said:
Yep, likes to queue and always asks for the stamps ... the kids seem to enjoy collecting them.
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If you visit Israel, just dont get a stamp there if you ever want to travel via DXB on same passport.

The French are the worst at stamping passport. Was there 8 years ago and requested a stamp at CDG. He pretended he did not understand Anglais and in the end he stamped passport without first stamping the inkpad. could barely make out the stamp.
 
Quickstatus said:
If you visit Israel, just dont get a stamp there if you ever want to travel via DXB on same passport.

The French are the worst at stamping passport. Was there 8 years ago and requested a stamp at CDG. He pretended he did not understand Anglais and in the end he stamped passport without first stamping the inkpad. could barely make out the stamp.
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Out of those three destination, we've been to one, unlikely to travel to another and are only ever likely to transit the third.
 
Quickstatus said:
The French are the worst at stamping passport. Was there 8 years ago and requested a stamp at CDG. He pretended he did not understand Anglais and in the end he stamped passport without first stamping the inkpad. could barely make out the stamp.
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We got the same treatment at CDG, the guy looked at our passports and jerked his thumb over his shoulder and threw his head in the same direction as if the say "in you go"
Mrs Groundhog went back to ask for the stamp and he scowled at her so badly we thought we would have better luck next time

I like the speed of smart gate but my kids are too young so when we come back from our OS holiday in May we will have to line up with the rest, not excited about that prospect
 
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I've had a few occasions using my Irish passport in the EU where I doubt that the agent even opened the cover before letting me through. Certainly is efficient.
 
Quickstatus said:
If you visit Israel, just dont get a stamp there if you ever want to travel via DXB on same passport.
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Israel has recently stopped stamping passports (at least for short tourist/business visits). You get a small paper receipt, same as in HKG. Most immigration officers were aready happy not to stamp your passport on request, but from time to time a "trigger" happy officer would stamp your passport...thereby precluding you from entering a dozen countries.:(
 
defurax said:
Israel has recently stopped stamping passports (at least for short tourist/business visits). You get a small paper receipt, same as in HKG. Most immigration officers were aready happy not to stamp your passport on request, but from time to time a "trigger" happy officer would stamp your passport...thereby precluding you from entering a dozen countries.:(
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I suspect definitely a welcome move for some.

Reality is I suspect more and more countries all go this way as there immigration systems get better - all previous entries immediately on screen (and probably cross linked by birthdate rather than passport number)
 
defurax said:
Israel has recently stopped stamping passports (at least for short tourist/business visits). You get a small paper receipt, same as in HKG. Most immigration officers were aready happy not to stamp your passport on request, but from time to time a "trigger" happy officer would stamp your passport...thereby precluding you from entering a dozen countries.:(
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The system is quite impressive, I think. A full colour "visa" about CC size, complete with photograph, copied from your passport. Then, on exit, a similar document, with (as I recall) a different background colour. All quite self-contained - and no entries on your passport.

This is scenario is from about six months ago, based on an Oz passport.
 
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