SmartGate - “Today an immigration officer will process you”

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r055b

20 posts

Geek

#196666 8-Jun-2016 15:17

From about March this year I have not been able to use the Smartgate to self-process for entry into NZ. Each time I try I get the message at the kiosk “Today you will be processed by an immigration officer” (or something similar). There is nothing wrong with my passport as I self-process successfully when departing.

Am I getting directed to an immigration officer because of frequency of travel or where I am travelling from? Does NZ Immigration know your destination i.e. system integration to the airline’s systems? Or have I been profiled in some way?

I have done 11 trips to date this year all to Asia-Pacific countries and once to Africa.

This is frustrating especially if you have to queue. Having said that the immigration queuing is usually not a big issue at AKL airport.

Any other frequent travellers having similar issues with SmartGate?

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22 posts

Geek

#1567992 8-Jun-2016 15:33

I have the same issue when entering Australia (not New Zealand) every time I get cannot be processed etc and then go through with no issues. When coming back to NZ I have no issues just entering Australia.

Asked once WHY and got - I see no issues with your passport- I do travel a heck of a lot and live in Fiji but have a NZ passport.

knoydart

893 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1568001 8-Jun-2016 15:42

I get this when going through the AKL smart gates, but not the WLG ones and only when entering the country. Leaving the country does not seem to be a problem!

Beccara

1287 posts

Uber Geek

#1568009 8-Jun-2016 15:51

Not sure about the gates but your departure and arrival cards will tell them where you've been along with the flight number

Most problems are the result of previous solutions...

All comment's I make are my own personal opinion and do not in any way, shape or form reflect the views of current or former employers unless specifically stated

sbiddle

29264 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1568084 8-Jun-2016 17:01

Have you asked?

zespri

345 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1568095 8-Jun-2016 17:23

sbiddle:

Have you asked?

They tend to ignore all the questions. Last four trips to Australia my family was hold up by immigration for around 20 minutes each time. We would be asked to sit and wait. Any questions which were answered with "You have to wait until we finish". And when they inevitable tell us that we can go, any questions are answered with "There is no problem, you can go now".

r055b

20 posts

Geek

#1568118 8-Jun-2016 17:42

sbiddle:

Have you asked?

Yes, multiple times. I only got vague answers like "This happens randomly from time to time" or "There is nothing wrong, all OK, welcome home" . It seems that the immigration officer has no indication on their system that the SmartGate rejected me.

radomatic

93 posts

Master Geek

#1568130 8-Jun-2016 17:54

I was once told upon being rejected by SmartGate that it struggles with patterned t-shirts and jackets. Like if it has a graphic or a print on it. Something about it messing with the camera and facial recognition.

I don't know how accurate that is though, just something an immigration officer once told me.

BTR

1522 posts

Uber Geek

#1568549 9-Jun-2016 11:02

Numerous trips to asia, maybe they think your a modern day Mr Asia.

dickytim

2514 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1568640 9-Jun-2016 12:59

r055b:

From about March this year I have not been able to use the Smartgate to self-process for entry into NZ. Each time I try I get the message at the kiosk “Today you will be processed by an immigration officer” (or something similar). There is nothing wrong with my passport as I self-process successfully when departing.

Am I getting directed to an immigration officer because of frequency of travel or where I am travelling from? Does NZ Immigration know your destination i.e. system integration to the airline’s systems? Or have I been profiled in some way?

I have done 11 trips to date this year all to Asia-Pacific countries and once to Africa.

This is frustrating especially if you have to queue. Having said that the immigration queuing is usually not a big issue at AKL airport.

Any other frequent travellers having similar issues with SmartGate?

Are you elegable for an APEC passport?

r055b

20 posts

Geek

#1568661 9-Jun-2016 13:30

dickytim:

r055b:

From about March this year I have not been able to use the Smartgate to self-process for entry into NZ. Each time I try I get the message at the kiosk “Today you will be processed by an immigration officer” (or something similar). There is nothing wrong with my passport as I self-process successfully when departing.

Am I getting directed to an immigration officer because of frequency of travel or where I am travelling from? Does NZ Immigration know your destination i.e. system integration to the airline’s systems? Or have I been profiled in some way?

I have done 11 trips to date this year all to Asia-Pacific countries and once to Africa.

This is frustrating especially if you have to queue. Having said that the immigration queuing is usually not a big issue at AKL airport.

Any other frequent travellers having similar issues with SmartGate?

Are you elegable for an APEC passport?

Are you referring to a APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)? Would having that help? I am eligible.

dickytim

2514 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1569102 10-Jun-2016 06:53

r055b:

dickytim:

r055b:

From about March this year I have not been able to use the Smartgate to self-process for entry into NZ. Each time I try I get the message at the kiosk “Today you will be processed by an immigration officer” (or something similar). There is nothing wrong with my passport as I self-process successfully when departing.

Am I getting directed to an immigration officer because of frequency of travel or where I am travelling from? Does NZ Immigration know your destination i.e. system integration to the airline’s systems? Or have I been profiled in some way?

I have done 11 trips to date this year all to Asia-Pacific countries and once to Africa.

This is frustrating especially if you have to queue. Having said that the immigration queuing is usually not a big issue at AKL airport.

Any other frequent travellers having similar issues with SmartGate?

Are you elegable for an APEC passport?

Are you referring to a APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)? Would having that help? I am eligible.

Apparently it speeds up immigration clearing but in all honesty I have not looked too much in to it. My brother used to travel overseas every 2 weeks so was looking into it but his roll changed and he only travels ever 6 weeks or so now.

Linuxluver

5615 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1571397 14-Jun-2016 07:45

Do you have two or more passports?

I kept getting pulled over because I had - once - used my Canadian passport to leave NZ....and they had no record of me ever arriving on a Canadian passport. This carried on until my Canadian passport expired......and I made a trip to Canada entirely on my Kiwi passport....(which Canada no longer allows its citizens to do as of June 1st this year - they will now send you back at the border).

Anyway....after that trip, I was queried at the gate in Auckland and they explained it was because my passports and my travel didn't line up, so they check. I told them I now only had one passport (My Canadian one had expired and my travel was at short notice)....the Kiwi one...and I have not been checked since. Yes, I got a new Canadian passport a few weeks later as I expected to travel there again soon at that time.

But the 'rule' underlying this is that if are entering or leaving a country andyou hold a passport for that country, use that passport only. So now I always leave and enter NZ on my Kiwi passport and always leave and enter Canada on my Canadian passport. No problems.

But in your case...I suspect both the frequency of travel to Asia (you don't say where) and trip to Africa (ebola) are throwing up flags. Or something else. It could easily be something else. :-)

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darylblake

1028 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1571413 14-Jun-2016 08:25

I got this once when I went to Aussie and I only had about 4-5 months left on my passport. I told them I had a return ticket to NZ and they were like no worries mate.

The next time I went to Aussie on my new passport the smartgate worked fine.

sxz

699 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1571432 14-Jun-2016 09:19

I had this once leaving Amsterdam - they told me they had flagged every passport with my same last name.

It could be your name is similar to someone elses on a list somewhere - they need to personally verify you are not the person they are looking for, then once that's done, they let you through.

darkasdes2

374 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1571441 14-Jun-2016 09:30

I have found the last few times i have flown through Christchurch Airport its quicker to go to the immigration desk than use the smart gate.

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