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"Post-Brexit travel rules mean British nationals may stay in the Schengen zone for no more than 90 out of any 180-day period. Until a fully automated border system is operational, passport stamps are now required at most entry and exit points, significantly increasing processing times.The British Foreign Office is advising travellers to mainland Europe to get their passports stamped, noting that if “relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, a border officer may presume you have overstayed your visa-free limit”.In December 2020, the UK Cabinet Office reportedly rejected a £33m proposal to double the capacity for French government passport checks at Dover after the port requested funding to help it to pay for additional Brexit-related border expenses.The money would have been used to double the number of French border police passport booths in anticipation of more stringent requirements – including stamps in passports from 1 January 2021 – the Financial Times reported.ITV News reported on Wednesday that the Port of Dover was only then “expanding border capacity to avoid queues” following a deal with the French border force to operate 50% more passport control booths.The port said the extra booths would be “installed before the summer getaway weekend” of 22-24 July, but conceded their operation would depend on French “resourcing levels, and we know resourcing around Europe … is tight”.A regional government official for Nord-Pas-de-Calais said in a statement on Friday evening that French officials had “of course anticipated the increased traffic levels” and put in place “an appropriate level of staffing”.He said a “technical incident” at the Channel tunnel had meant French border police had not been at full operating capacity in Dover until 8.45am on Friday, an hour later than planned, by which time long delays had built up.UK authorities have rejected this explanation."Well, they would say that, wouldn't they?So how bothered were we?:-"ITV News reported on [LAST] Wednesday that the Port of Dover was only THEN “expanding border capacity to avoid queues” following a deal with the French border force to operate 50% more passport control booths.The port said the extra booths would be “installed before the summer getaway weekend” of 22-24 JULY [THIS WEEKEND], but conceded their operation would depend on French “resourcing levels, and we know resourcing around Europe … is tight”."

David Ainsworth ● 1058d

Sue. So the old, white Conservativemembers didn't get for Brexit? Who. Ares. Let's face it, if Brexit hadn't introduced extra customs and border controls there wouldn't be a problem. I don't think there are issues elsewhere in Europe, are there (excluding Ukraine)? I doubt if the following discussion would have taken place if the UK was in the EU? No Brexit, no need for additional checks and booths? QED. :-)In a statement, prefect for the Haut-de-France region, Georges-Francois Leclerc, said: "The increase in traffic for this weekend was fully anticipated and a suitable deployment was prepared."The plan was to have all the police booths manned at Dover by 08:30 BST."An unforeseeable technical incident in the tunnel meant that police had to push back their full deployment by an hour."But Eurotunnel said that explanation was "absolutely not the case"."The critical incident in Dover started overnight," said Eurotunnel in a statement. "The minor technical incident at the Channel Tunnel occurred at 7am, well after the critical incident."It was categorically not the reason for the difficulties at the Port of Dover."Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the delays were "unacceptable" and the situation was "entirely avoidable".She said: "We need action from France to build up capacity at the border to limit any further disruption for British tourists."But Pierre-Henri Dumont, Republican MP for Calais, said problems at the port would reoccur "because of Brexit".He told the BBC: "This is an aftermath of Brexit. We have to run more checks than before."Mr Dumont also said the Port of Dover was "too small" and there were too few kiosks due to lack of space.

Michael Ixer ● 1059d