Dual citizenship and electronic immigration clearance

[flyingmachine]

I was just wondering about new electronic border clearance systems being implemented in different countries and was wondering if they have thought about dual citizens who might be travelling with two passports. Esp the countries that take fingerprints or their own photos and match it to details in a database or in the electronic passport - wonder if it would flag up and then cause trouble? Like two person with the same face or fingerprints. Or a mismatch between airline check-in details against entry records, for countries that rely on that as a way to keep track of departing passengers?

I was just in Singapore recently and did something silly...
Spent a few days there and on the last day went to the airport early with others who had earlier flights. Went through immigration to be with the rest of the group inside the airport using my own boarding pass (for a flight later in the day) but then thought I could get back out for some more shopping and some food before my own flight.
Didn't go well with Singapore immigration trying to get back into Singapore and probably didn't help that I changed to my Australian passport since I had to use it to check-in for my later flight home - they weren't too happy with me waltzing in and out of the airport and told me to just wait it out at the airport. But they said it had something to do with the airline needing to "let me out of the airport" which got a bit confusing. They took my fingerprints again so I presume now they'd have them linked with both passports.... wondering if that got them a bit upset also.

 

[Sabbasolo]

I have had border agents ask me about my other passport - which I had used in that EU country in the past. Linking by name and DOB is pretty straightforward, so they must do that in some places.

I was just wondering about new electronic border clearance systems being implemented in different countries and was wondering if they have thought about dual citizens who might be travelling with two passports. Esp the countries that take fingerprints or their own photos and match it to details in a database or in the electronic passport - wonder if it would flag up and then cause trouble? Like two person with the same face or fingerprints. Or a mismatch between airline check-in details against entry records, for countries that rely on that as a way to keep track of departing passengers?
,,,

 

[TomVexille]

I have real issues with Australia since they decided to start collecting this information. Their system doesn't seem to work.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was just wondering about new electronic border clearance systems being implemented in different countries and was wondering if they have thought about dual citizens who might be travelling with two passports. Esp the countries that take fingerprints or their own photos and match it to details in a database or in the electronic passport - wonder if it would flag up and then cause trouble? Like two person with the same face or fingerprints. Or a mismatch between airline check-in details against entry records, for countries that rely on that as a way to keep track of departing passengers?

I was just in Singapore recently and did something silly...
Spent a few days there and on the last day went to the airport early with others who had earlier flights. Went through immigration to be with the rest of the group inside the airport using my own boarding pass (for a flight later in the day) but then thought I could get back out for some more shopping and some food before my own flight.
Didn't go well with Singapore immigration trying to get back into Singapore and probably didn't help that I changed to my Australian passport since I had to use it to check-in for my later flight home - they weren't too happy with me waltzing in and out of the airport and told me to just wait it out at the airport. But they said it had something to do with the airline needing to "let me out of the airport" which got a bit confusing. They took my fingerprints again so I presume now they'd have them linked with both passports.... wondering if that got them a bit upset also.

Haven't ever encountered problems using two passports. Australia is easy - depart and arrive using Aussie passport as required by law.

Use other passport at check-in so they can collect passenger information to transmit. On arrival the other countries are all expecting the passport used at check-in.

As you can only arrive and depart on the same passport there doesn't seem to be much of an issue. (Using the other passport to arrive/leave would make you an over-stayer.)

As for Singapore, there is a government regulation that you can abuse airport facilities or the immigration service. They specifically don't want people using the airport for reasons other than legitimately departing on a flight. So not surprising they didn't want to let you out again unless you had a good reason. (There were people entering the airport to have a meal in the lounge, or photograph celebrities and then heading out again. Not allowed now.)

 

[flyingmachine]

Ah i see - SIN ICA weren't very clear with what the problem was. First it was the airline then it was getting in and out of the airport and later on kept asking why I used different passports.

The general rule about using the same passport to get in/out of a country and to obviously use the passport for the country of citizenship and stuff makes sense. But I wonder for some countries that don't have proper exit controls and are using airline departure data (like the US) whether some of this could fall apart when using two passports.

I was just seeing how the new Changi T4 terminals have automated check-in/baggage drop/immigration control/boarding which would involve a combination of fingerprint checks and facial recognition and wondered if it'd get upset if the passport used for check-in and immigration was different.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ah i see - SIN ICA weren't very clear with what the problem was. First it was the airline then it was getting in and out of the airport and later on kept asking why I used different passports.

The general rule about using the same passport to get in/out of a country and to obviously use the passport for the country of citizenship and stuff makes sense. But I wonder for some countries that don't have proper exit controls and are using airline departure data (like the US) whether some of this could fall apart when using two passports.

I was just seeing how the new Changi T4 terminals have automated check-in/baggage drop/immigration control/boarding which would involve a combination of fingerprint checks and facial recognition and wondered if it'd get upset if the passport used for check-in and immigration was different.

If they don't have proper exit controls like the USA you can expect to be hauled aside on your next visit and asked why you over-stayed. The airline does transmit the data to immigration that you are leaving. Of course you'll be able to prove you left the country at some stage (passport stamps, or boarding passes), but the onus is on you, the passenger, to convince immigration of your bona fides. You could be denied entry to the USA if they think you are pulling a fast one.

Generally check-in and immigration operate separately. You can use different documents at each. But I guess it depends on whether they start linking the two. For example if they start matching the finger prints used at check-in with a later immigration process, it may come up with a flag.