E-Passport gates never let me in

[Tommo1]

I hope someone here can help.

I've started to travel frequently with work on a British passport, and the epassport gates never let me back in to the UK. So, I queue up to go through the gates, put my passport in, it thinks about it for ages, and then tells me to "seek assistance". At which stage I have to queue up again and go through with an Immigration Officer. This has happened the last 5 times! I asked the man on duty this evening why, and he said, "All I can tell you is you're not the only person with your name".

What does that mean? What should I do? It's getting ridiculous that I can get in and out of the US or Netherlands in 20 seconds, but UK is taking forever each time!

Thank you in advance!

[Wanderer]

They used to do that with me, my name whilst not very common, must be exactly the same as several thousand Irishmen but since I 'mastered' it it's never given me any issues. Seemed at one time overtime I flew into M/cr from Copenhagen it got me every time.

Now I relax and follow the instructions to the letter and no problems.

[Tommo1]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I'm not clear what you mean "mastered" it and "followed the instructions to the letter"?
Regards.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I'm not clear what you mean "mastered" it and "followed the instructions to the letter"?
Regards.

Well when I first used them, I was glancing about, the tech-head in me trying to see how it works, not reading the instructions and putting the passport in the wrong way (still find that unclear), now I prepare my passports the right way round and correct orientation, plonk it on the reader and just look into the lens and wait, 100% success rate now.

I really think nerves, unconscious fear and not wanting to be the dick that can't get through first time type thing. After that's gone it's just another gadget and for me at least automatic now. Having said that I've not used one for 9 months, I fly into Leeds now where they don't even have muesli yet.

[Stevros3]

I'm not saying this is what is happening to you, but a friend of mine Surname 'Smith' (plus two common first names) always has trouble going through Immigration. Didn't find out why till he got his CRB (now DBS) check for work and they had to interview him, that there was another person who had the same name and DOB as him, what's more they had a significant criminal record. He now is pretty sure that's why he gets stopped and double checked.