Passport stamp for EU citizen travelling from EU to UK and back
I am a German citizen. 2 weeks ago I travelled to the UK (using Eurostar, so I went through French and British border control), and then came back on a plane and went through German border control.
I realised after that my passport never got stamped. Granted I didn't ask for it to be, but I was under the impression that when leaving the Shengen area (or entering it again) you were meant to get a stamp.
I'm going back (again with Eurostar) a couple weeks from now and would like to get whatever stamps I can for no reason other than that I think it would be cool.
Does anyone know if I'm able to get any in the first place though, provided I ask? Or are stamps out of the question for people making that trip? Thanks :)
Best Answer
It is strictly regulated in the Schengen Border's Code which passport must be stamped and which must not be stamped when crossing an external Schengen border. Some countries deviate slightly from the regulation, particularly for residence permit holders, but in general:
- Passports of EU and EEA citizens must not be stamped. If the border guards follow the regulation, they will not even stamp your passport if you ask for it.
- In general, but with some exceptions, passports of non EU/EEA citizens must be stamped both on entry and exit. There is no Schengen wide database with electronic records of entries and exits, so the border guards need to rely on the stamps to check if the passport holder has not exceeded the allowed duration of stay in the Schengen area. Such a database (Schengen EES, Entry/Exit System) is planned to go into operation next year.
UK is already operating a database with all entries and exits, so they do not need to stamp your passport anymore to keep track of the time you spend in the country.
Pictures about "Passport stamp for EU citizen travelling from EU to UK and back"
Are EU passports stamped when entering UK?
And, unlike before Brexit, their passports will be stamped when they enter and leave Schengen countries.Will the EU stop stamping passports?
\u201cEU law does not prevent border guards from stamping upon entry to and exit from the Schengen area of travel documents of United Kingdom nationals who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement who are in possession of a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen Member State.Do I need to get my passport stamped UK?
You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your passport if you are entering the UK: with a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa) on a permitted paid engagement.Can EU citizen travel to UK after Brexit?
From 1 January 2021, the UK implemented a new points-based immigration system. Under the new system, if you're an EU, EEA and Swiss citizen, you can continue to come to the UK as a visitor without applying for a visa and in most cases, will be able to stay for up to six months.UK Nationals Travelling to the EU Post Brexit: Passport Stamps at EU Borders
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Images: Ethan Wilkinson, ArtHouse Studio, Samuel Sweet, Wikimedia Commons