But no one has to show a visa.
'Not having a visa' would get you through a border. You could in theory have a list of criminal passport numbers which you could check, but I think the EU would never allow it. In the Schengen area (most of Europe), you don't even need a passport.
(Baggenfrock get fucked, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:28, 2 replies, latest was 10 years ago)

you said it wouldn't be possible without breaking up the EU
bit of a stretch, was the point.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:30, Reply)

OK, fair enough. It probably wouldn't be possible without US leaving the EU.
Which may happen anyway, if the British public are as stupid as I fear.
(Baggenfrock get fucked, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:32, Reply)

welll, the stupidity of the british public was my original point....

( rachelswipe with a fork, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:34, Reply)

This.
The whole 'checking passports' thing probably wouldn't work in a lot of Europe anyway, considering the checks in a lot of places involve flashing a passport to an exasperated officer who is listlessly waving everybody on.
( Slippery Mick ‏, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:31, Reply)

so? that's Europes problem
we brits can do it properly.
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:32, Reply)

I find british passport controls unnecessarily creepy.
Those face scanners would scare the shit out of me if they could recognise me properly.
( Slippery Mick ‏, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:34, Reply)

in my experience, they are slower than the original lines
because of the number of belmers who can't do it.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:35, Reply)

Not in mine.
Go to the machine, get knocked back because it can't cope with my beard and glasses, go to the empty 'machine doens't recognise me' desk.
( Slippery Mick ‏, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:37, Reply)

Fuck knows how many billions some fucking IT consultancy was paid for all that shit.

(Baggenfrock get fucked, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:38, Reply)

I can't wait to fork out for a state of the art smartcard system that won't work and can be defeated by 'buying things and selling them for cash'.

( Slippery Mick ‏, Wed 1 Oct 2014, 13:40, Reply)