UK passenger locator form on Arrivals

[nuisance79]

Does anybody have any information on how the UK passenger locator form works upon Arrivals? Have the e-gates been programmed to know if a passenger has completed one or not (I would assume it could be linked to passport number).

My Wife arrived at LHR a few weeks ago and was told she had to have completed one however, at the security check (human not e-gate) she only had to present her passport and no locator form check was conducted.

All seems very vague similar to how they claim to check up on you to make sure you are where you state you are going to be (I just don't see how this is manageable)

N79

[Asturias56]

You fill it in and it links to your passport number - Senora A sailed through the gates at LHR recently - my passport was rejected and I wandered over to the desk - the lady scanned my passport and let me in - I offered to show her the receipt of the form on my phone but she said it was in the system

Unfortunately there are the usual herd of idiots who have never heard that they need to fill the from in the first place clogging the area up

I also know someone who was supposed to quarantine and didn't and was checked on later - £ 1000 fine

[Planemike]

" Herd of idiots "........no, I don't think so !!! Just a system that so is confusing and complicated it defeats many people!!!

[cubemaster]

I arrived at Gatwick last Wednesday. Human checking PLF on phone before getting to the e-gates.
Checking consisted of person looking at my phone with a mark 1 eyeball to see that something that looks like the PLF QR code is being displayed.
No actual scan of QR code done but I assume that the e-gate check checked my passport number against their PLF database.:*

[cubemaster]

The procedure is to fill it in online up to 48 hours before arrival but you can only do it online and then print or download the completed form. I'm not sure what you are supposed to do if you don't have a smartphone or access to a printer.

[Planemike]

The procedure is to fill it in online up to 48 hours before arrival but you can only do it online and then print or download the completed form. I'm not sure what you are supposed to do if you don't have a smartphone or access to a printer.

Exactly, There is a glib assumption in many quarters that ALL the population either has or indeed wants much of this unnecessary equipment. No smart phone, no need for one here..........

[MerchantVenturer]

I've been on the internet at home since the late 1990s but always with a desktop. Neither my wife nor I have any desire to have a mobile phone other than the basic pay-as-you-go model that we take out with us in case of emergencies but otherwise never switch it on. It's not connected to the internet. As has been said there seems to be a basic belief in society that everyone has an internet-connected mobile phone.

As to the system, one of our grandsons accompanied by his Australian girlfriend flew into the UK from Melbourne over a month ago. Because they transited via Qatar they had to quarantine for 14 days. A week or so later our son and daughter-in-law returned to the UK from a holiday in Turkey and also had to quarantine for 14 days.

Neither our grandson, his girlfriend, our son or our daughter-in-law was contacted at any time by anyone checking that they were abiding by the quarantine.

Perhaps they were in a minority and it's just a coincidence that none of them were contacted. Perhaps!

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

I do not have a smart phone or any way to complete a location form when abroad.
I rang the Gov. help line prior to my trip recently to Belgium and Holland (Sept.) via France (Dunkirk).
I was told to complete and sign the form 48 hrs before return to UK.
I explained that I was unable to do this.
I was then told that on arrival at Dover I would be offered the means to complete and sign the required form.
So on returning , at Dunkirk, at the UK immigration check point I was asked if I had a form.
Told them no, and that I had been told to fill it in on arrival at Dover, he then question this and eventually let me officially enter the UK. with a very quizzical look on his face.!!!!!

On arriving at Dover, driving out I noticed a big sign saying checks ahead, there was nothing.!!!!!
I was able to drive out to the A2 roundabout and on my way home.

So I had not filled in a form, there was no record of my travels with an obligation to isolate for 14 days.
I did the right thing and of my own choice I did isolate for the 14 Days.
A total farce, make of it what you will..

OPF

[cjhants]

The procedure is to fill it in online up to 48 hours before arrival but you can only do it online and then print or download the completed form. I'm not sure what you are supposed to do if you don't have a smartphone or access to a printer.

I asked this question of immigration at T5 last month. Was told they had a tablet available for anybody who did not have internet access (and presumably somebody on hand to help non tech savvy pax).

[highflyer40]

I filled out the form the first time I reentered the country and nobody checked so didn’t bother the next 3 times I came back. Nobody mentioned anything. Business as usual.

Im not going to spend my holiday time filling out a form that nobody is going to check or even look at.

[ATNotts]

cjhants:

That is the major shortcoming of the system. Clearly when the scheme was being discussed, all the people around the table were tech-savvy and never for one moment considered that people aren't barred from travelling to UK. And as you quite rightly say, handing someone a tablet and expecting them to use it is fanciful.

highflyer40:

It would appear that the training for UKBA officers before the system was implemented went something along the lines of "use your common sense; if someone proffers their device to them they have clearly filled the form in, and therefore let them carry on, if they look at you quizzically be suspicious and ask questions". Fact is, if you've filled it in you could put any old garbage on the form if the officer isn't even going to give it a cursory check. We have driven back twice since July, filled in the confounded form out (honestly and correctly) twice, and both occasions been waved through.

[PAXboy]

A similar problem of age shows on numerous websites. They are made by people with 20:20 vision and the folks who check and approve do no think to get those with even normal ageing eyesight, to look at them. I see food labels with dark grey lettering on a light grey background. It might look arty but it is more difficult to read. Then, to save money, they user less wrapping and so make the print smaller. There are some products I have not bought because I could not read the lable clearly and I have regular eyesight for my age but I resent having to sometimes use a magnifying glass.

[Hartington]

It's not just gray on gray - there's a small but significant portion of the population that is, in various ways, colour blind.

[Asturias56]

Same in Magazines - Flight often used very similar colour bars in graphs and the (US) Flying uses several different fonts on the same page - very distracting and often verging on illegible

[Paul Lupp]

I flew into LHR at the beginning of September. I'd completed the locator form online. E-gate did not work with my passport (seems to happen about 50% of the time in T5 and I only pass through a couple of times per year) so I went to a "manual" gate. Was asked to show my passport and form on my smartphone. They scanned the QR code on the phone and waved me through. From what I could tell, everyone who had to go through manually was being asked about the locator form and was being checked to ensure that one had been correctly completed. Not sure if the e-gates link to check that you have completed a form.

At least this time the ANPR cameras on the car park worked both in and out. Usually I have issues with them reading the car plate (always clean and in the only legal UK font but it's an old- non-dating number) and numerous emails to complain and ask for their software to be checked/improved bring the typical "it's not our problem" response. It once (May 2019) took me half an hour to get out with 2 members of staff coming across to the car at the exit barrier, confirming on the intercom to their superiors that I did have the booking correct and confirmed on my smartphone but they still could not find a way to open the barrier...... doesn't inspire me with much confidence

[DaveReidUK]

Not sure if the e-gates link to check that you have completed a form.

I'd be amazed if that was the case.