A WOMAN from the UK was stopped at the border abroad after she was told she had overstayed in Europe – despite her not.
Paula Pugh was going on holiday to Italy but was taken back to the UK after systems showed she had overstayed her limit of 90 days in a 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
EES has been causing chaos for lots of Brits since it was first introduced earlier this year including airport delays and missed flights,
But now, it is also causing problems for passengers by incorrectly claiming they are staying too long in Europe.
Talking to The Telegraph, Paula Pugh, 60, explained how she was escorted out of Italy and taken back to the UK because of the error.
Travelling with her husband and cousin for a five-day trip to southern Italy, Paula was flagged at border control shortly after landing.
She was accused of overstaying her 90 limit in the Schengen Area despite taking just three short visits to Spain and one to France – which totted up to 22 days.
Talking to the publication Paula explained she “wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without a police presence.”
Paula was put on a flight home on the same day from another airport with Ryanair along with her family.
Her passport was given to the captain for the duration of their flight.
She added: “My husband then asked the cabin crew where I would get my passport, and we had to walk to the front of the plane.
“Somebody came onto the plane, took me off the plane, had a look, gave me my passport, and said ‘There you go.’ As though it was all over and all forgotten.
“I’m still very upset when I think about it.”
The cancelled trip and return flights home cost the family around £2,000.
Now, Paula is trying to get her record corrected.
Previously, Brits were manually stamped in and out of a country at border control. EES has replaced that with the taking of biometrics and fingerprints.
However, in some cases where EES has been turned off at airports due to faults, or delays, the exit for Brits has not been recorded and the days spent in the Schengen Area continues without them knowing.
A UK Government spokesman told The Telegraph: “While EES is an EU scheme, we recognise this is a significant change for British travellers, and advise that they read the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice about the scheme before travelling.“
In August, the UK Foreign Office altered its advice to Brits asking them to carry evidence of when they last left the EU, to avoid being wrongly refused entry.
Brits travelling from the UK to Europe can spend 90 days out of every 180 in the EU – staying over this limit will mean both refusal of entry and a fine.
In some cases a fine can be as much as £8,550.
Advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) reads: “If you believe you have been incorrectly entered into EES or your record of time spent in the Schengen area is incorrect, approach border officials when you next cross the Schengen border and request a correction.
“If you are exempt, carry documentation confirming your status. If you believe your time spent in the Schengen area has been recorded incorrectly, raise this with border officials and be prepared to provide supporting evidence if requested.”
If you want to check the days left on your record before travelling, the The European Commission has an EES online tool.