Is this a way to avoid airport queues?

[chakka35]

This should probably be posted on the Law site but I thought it would be more interesting to get a general view.

No UK citizen has to seek permission to leave or enter his/her own country (unless, of course, a court of law has placed such a restriction on a particular individual). A passport is there to allow access to other countries.

No airline or ferry company would take a you on board without a passport because it knows that you wouldn’t be allowed in at the other end and you’d have to be brought back. But the principle is easily tested by going to the South coast, hiring a boat and sailing across to France and back. Nobody could challenge your departure or return.

So what if you, a UK citizen, were to avoid the queues at Heathrow by walking straight past Immigration (if that is physically possible) and presenting your luggage to Customs (which is a legal requirement)? It would cause a fuss, but what could they charge you with? If they asked you to supply evidence of who you were you would show them your passport – without having to stand in a queue!

What do you wise ABers think?

[FredPuli43]

There's one or two IFs in that! It is true that, at common law, nobody needs a passport. If issued, it is merely a request, by "Her Brittanic Majesty's Secretary of State" to allow the bearer to "pass freely without let or hindrance..." , a request made to foreign governments.

Even taking your boat out across the Channel to another country is not without its problems; you are liable to have it searched by our Customs, and/or asked what goods you have on board,on return, quite apart from what the foreign authorities may require of you when you arrive there. You are likely to be requested proof of citizenship of a country, lest you are a person who is not allowed to land or enter viz. a passport.

At Heathrow, you'd have to try to pass in without inspection, which is pretty difficult, and it may be (almost certainly is;I haven't researched it ) an offence to do so.

[jomifl]

I have entered the UK by yacht from France without a passport and I have gone through a customs inspection. If you can prove beyond reasonable doubt that you are a British citizen then you have a right of entry.

[jake-the-peg]

I think what you're suggesting in a roundabout way is for immigration controls to be enforced by the airline when someone boards a plane.

Bit of a problem there

Airline staff are locals recruited all over the world

I don't think HM Government's quite ready to trust check-in staff at Karachi airbort working for Gulf Air to decide whether a passport is or is not valid and that the person hlding it can therefore enter the UK!

[chakka35]

FredPuli43, I think you've missed my point, which was about a legal principle.

When crossing the Channel I do not have to try to enter the France, merely approach it; my point is that when I get back no-one can stop me entering UK. A Customs search would be right, proper and lawful, but that is a different matter.

I did say that the mechanics of bypassing Immigration at Heathrow might be difficult, but, if not, then what offence would I be committing? You hint at one but then you don't know. It certainly couldn't be 'unlawfully entering the country' so...what?

jake, I wasn't suggesting anything of the sort! You are complicating a simple matter of my basic right to enter my own country.

Any more? Preferably from a lawyer - which might mean that I have to revert to the Law site after all. Cheers.

[FredPuli43]

Preferably from a lawyer? You don't know the people who answer
on this site,or in this thread, do you! LOL

Since you ask, i was not thinking of immigration or passports as much as the laws governing Heathrow airport. I'm prepared to make a guess, an educated guess, that it's a specific offence for someone who is not authorised, to pass from airside to the the other side, quite apart from other regulations about trespassing within and on the airport, breach of which is an offence. Heathrow's regulations cover everything about the airport, even taxi drivers' movements and business.

But I'm still not going to search through them.

[chakka35]

I said 'preferably from a lawyer' because you were merely guessing (as you still are) about whether I would be committing an offence.
I'd like to know whether I would be and what the charge would be.

[FredPuli43]

Ah well. I can only suggest you try it . Then you'll get full details on the charge sheet.

[jno]

you may not need to ask permission to enter - but you will presumably have to demonstrate that you are someone allowed in without asking permission, as opposed to one of those wily foreigners. The passport isn't allowing you in, it's just showing your credentials.

But that's just a guess as I am not an immigration lawyer either.