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After complaints over the way some passengers say they were treated when returning from a day-trip to France last weekend, anyone living in the Bailiwick under the EU Settlement Scheme is being reminded to carry their paperwork anytime they travel outside of the Common Travel Area.
The same reminder is being issued to anyone with any other kind of 'right to remain' in the islands, other than the EU Settlement Scheme.
The Guernsey Border Agency says carrying that paperwork will enable passengers to clear through immigration more quickly when they return home.
The EU Settlement Scheme - for EU and EEA nationals - has been in place since Brexit.
It allowed EU citizens who were already living in the Bailiwick to apply for either settled or pre-settled status.
Those who successfully applied to the scheme were issued with a letter which details their status and proves their right to live in the Bailiwick.
Since that time, following a grace period of several months in 2021, those people have been required to show proof of their status when arriving at the border; a requirement which is part of being in the Common Travel Area - which covers the Channel Islands and the UK.
The GBA said that the proof of the right to remain can be the certificate itself, a photocopy of it or a digital version saved on a device. When coming back into the Bailiwick it must be shown alongside a passport or identity card.
All GBA officers will ask to see the proof of right to remain when a passenger first enters the CTA - so for direct travel between the Bailiwick and France that would usually be through Guernsey.
Issues arose last weekend when a day trip was run between Guernsey and France, arriving back into the island late at night.
Some of those passengers who needed to show a right to remain did not have their documentation with them as they hadn't believed it was necessary when travelling on a scheduled day trip.
The GBA said that while many residents have been complying with this requirement since the post-Brexit grace period fell away, but some people have still been travelling without the necessary proof.
The GBA said that means Immigration Officers have to check each individual on a central system which is what might lead to delays in people clearing border controls.
A digital solution is now being planned to try and prevent those delays by allowing officers quicker access to check a person’s immigration status.
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