Passport stamp

A passport stamp is an inked impression in a passport typically made by rubber stamp upon entering or exiting a territory.

Passport stamps from the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on a Philippine passport. All dates from the passport stamps of Saudi Arabia are written in the Hijra Calendar.

Passport stamps may occasionally take the form of sticker stamps, such as entry stamps from Japan. Depending on nationality, a visitor may not receive a stamp at all (unless specifically requested), such as an EU or EFTA citizen travelling to an EU or EFTA country, Albania,[1] or North Macedonia.[2] Most countries issue exit stamps in addition to entry stamps. A few countries issue only entry stamps, including Canada, El Salvador, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, Macau and South Korea do not stamp passports upon entry nor exit, but issue landing slips instead. Visas may also take the form of passport stamps.

Use

Japanese entry and exit stamps showing QR codes

Border control officials often place stamps in passports as part of their immigration control or customs procedures. This endorsement can serve many different purposes. In the United Kingdom the immigration stamp in the passport includes the formal "leave to enter" granted on entry to the country to a person who is subject to immigration control. Alternatively, the stamps activate and/or acknowledge the continuing leave conferred by the individual's entry clearance. Other authorities, such as those in Schengen member states, simply stamp a passport with a date stamp that does not indicate any duration and this stamp is taken to mean either that the person is deemed to have permission to remain for three months or an alternative period as shown on their visa. In Japan, the passport entry sticker also contains a QR code that allows the immigration official to electronically collect information related to that entry.

Most countries have different stamps for arrivals and departures to make it easier for officers to quickly identify the movements of the person concerned. The colour of the ink or the style of stamp may also provide such information.

In many cases passengers on cruise ships do not receive passport stamps because the entire vessel has been cleared into port. It is often possible to get a souvenir stamp, although this requires finding the immigration office by the dock. In many cases officials are used to such requests and will cooperate.[3][4] Also, as noted below, some of the smallest European countries will give a stamp on request, either at their border or tourist office charging, at most, a nominal fee.

Overview of passport stamps of countries

Armenia

Armenian entry stamp in a Polish passport, issued at the railway border with Georgia in Ayrum.
Armenian exit stamp in a Polish passport, issued at the railway border with Georgia in Ayrum.

Bangladesh

Bangladeshi visa in a U.S. passport.

Bangladesh stamps all travellers' passports upon both entry and exit. Handwritten scroll numbers on the stamp make it easier to track a person's complete journey – a Bangladeshi leaving Bangladesh would receive a scroll number upon exit; upon entry, the scroll number would be used to access related journey information of the traveller. The same is the case for foreigners, except that the scroll number is given on entry and then used on exit.

The stamps are always in black except the date, which is in red. The stamps feature an arrow at the top left corner, pointing left to denote departure, or pointing right for arrival together with a cartoon of the mode of transport at the top right corner.

Entry stamps are rectangular and exit stamps are oval, exit make it visually easier to trace movements.

Bahrain

Bahrain entry stamp obtained at Bahrain International Airport.
Bahrain exit stamp obtained at Bahrain International Airport.

Cambodia

Entry stamp at Bavet land border crossing on the Cambodia-Vietnam border.
Pre-sticker visas together with older type of passport stamps at Siem Reap airport.
Exit stamp issued at Siem Reap International Airport

China

Georgia

Georgian entry stamp in a Polish passport, issued at Tbilisi Airport.
Georgian exit stamp in a Polish passport, issued at the railway border with Azerbaijan in Gardabani. Underneath on the right Armenian old style (2017) exit stamp.
Georgian entry and exit stamps in an Iranian passport, issued at Sadakhlo border.

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Immigration Department used to stamp the passports of visitors entering and leaving Hong Kong (residents using their Hong Kong Identity Card did not receive a stamp). Just prior to and after the 1997 transfer of sovereignty from the UK to the People's Republic of China, arrival and departure stamps were identical at all ports of entry.

For the next 15 years or so, the ink colour of the stamp differentiated the administrative division of the point of entry:

India

Entry stamp to India at Mumbai airport in an Indian passport.
Entry stamp issued to a citizen of Germany at Delhi airport
Exit stamp in an Indian passport at Delhi Airport.
An Indian e-Visa at Delhi Airport in an Romanian passport.

India uses the differentiation in passport stamp colours – entry in blue, exit in red – to quickly trace a passenger's movements. The stamp can be rectangular, circular or oval.

Indonesia

Entry and exit stamps at Ngurah Rai International Airport and Juanda International Airport in a Thai passport.
Entry and Exit stamps at Kualanamu International Airport in a Philippine Passport.

Iran

Former exit stamp at Mehrabad International Airport in an older Iranian passport

Iran uses an oval shaped stamp with blue ink for entry and a square shaped stamp with red ink for exit.

Iraq

Entry stamp at Ibrahim Khalil border crossing (border with Turkey)
Exit stamp at Ibrahim Khalil border crossing controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government

Iraq passport stamps differ depending upon whether the checkpoint is located in Iraqi Kurdistan, or the rest of Iraq.

Israel

Traveling with passports containing Israeli entry/exit stamps to certain Arab nations may lead to a denial of entry, because of the Arab League boycott of Israel. Since January 2013, Israel no longer stamps foreign passports at Ben Gurion Airport, giving passengers a piece of paper instead. Passports are still (as of February 2013) stamped at Erez Crossing when traveling into and out of Gaza. Also, the passports are still stamped (as of February 2014) at the land borders of Jordan River Crossing and Yitzhak Rabin Crossing with Jordan and Taba Border Crossing with Egypt.

Japan

Former Temporary visitor landing permission sticker at Chubu Centrair International Airport and exit stamp at Fukuoka Airport in a Republic of Korea passport.
Return stamp at Haneda airport in a Japanese passport.
Departure and re-entry stamps for a foreign resident of Japan in a British passport.

Jordan

Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority visa in a U.S. passport.
Entry stamp in a U.S. passport at Wadi Araba Crossing.
Exit stamp in an Israeli passport at Wadi Araba Crossing

Laos

Entry and exit stamps at the Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge

Macau

Immigration stamps applied by Macau's immigration service under Portuguese administration had slightly different borders depending on whether the person arrived by land, sea, or air. After the transfer of sovereignty from Portugal to China in 1999, passport stamps naming the points of entry and departure were introduced, but all in the same ink color. Beginning of 9 July 2013, the Public Security Police Force of Macau no longer stamps passport and instead, visitors will receive a printed arrival card instead.[5]

Malaysia

Malaysian immigration authorities apply stamps for both entry and exit in all foreign passports and non-biometric Malaysian passports without in-built microchips. Biometric Malaysian passports are usually not stamped as all movements in and out of the country are recorded electronically in the microchip.

Malaysian entry stamps for non-citizens and non-residents are rectangular and stamped in blue or black. They bear the date of entry, point of entry and terms of entry. Entry stamps for residents are also stamped in blue ink but have an oval shape and bear the date and point of entry. Exit stamps are triangular and stamped in red. They bear the date and point of departure.

A peculiarity is the autonomy of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak in immigration affairs. This is attributed to the history of the federation of Malaysia, whereby in 1963, Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore merged to form Malaysia, with the three latter pre-merger entities granted partial autonomy. (Singapore eventually was expelled from the union.) Foreign visitors who travel to the two states from Peninsular Malaysia are required to fill in immigration forms and get new stamps on their passports. There is also immigration control for travel between Sabah and Sarawak. Previously, Malaysian citizens from the Peninsular were required to present their passports and have them stamped as well; while they are currently still subjected to immigration control, passports are no longer required for social visits not more than three months.

Between 1998 and 2011, foreign visitors who entered Malaysia via train from Singapore were cleared electronically without their passports being stamped.[6] The change was due to the dispute between Malaysia and Singapore regarding Malaysian-owned railway land in Singapore. The Malaysian railway operator, Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) had its intercity rail southern terminus at Tanjong Pagar railway station in downtown Singapore, which also housed the border controls of both Malaysia and Singapore for rail passengers before 1998. In 1998, Singapore moved its immigration checkpoint northward to Woodlands Train Checkpoint near the actual Malaysia-Singapore border but Malaysia refused to move its checkpoint, resulting in the anomaly that passengers travelling towards Malaysia were granted entry to Malaysia before passing through Singapore exit controls. Instead of passport stamps, foreign visitors were given disembarkation cards stamped with "KTM Tg Pagar, Singapura" and the date of entry, which would be collected upon departure from Malaysia and a handwritten note indicating the entry would be endorsed in the passport along with the exit stamp. Passengers travelling to Singapore were not affected as Malaysian exit controls were carried out on board trains at the Johor Bahru railway station, where immigration officers endorsed passports by stamping or handwriting. The anomaly was resolved on 1 July 2011, when Tanjong Pagar railway station was closed and Woodlands Train Checkpoint became the railway terminus in Singapore with co-location of border control facilities of both countries. Foreign visitors entering Malaysia by rail have their passports checked and stamped by Malaysian immigration officers at Woodlands Train Checkpoint after clearing Singapore exit controls.

Myanmar

With the introduction of e-visas, entry stamps into Myanmar at the airports of Yangon, Mandalay and Naypyidaw, the only three entry checkpoints where e-visas are allowed, have been modified to indicate such method of entry.

Nepal

Entry sticker on arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.
Exit sticker stamp at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.

Nepal is one of the few countries which use sticker stamps. Nepalese immigration authorities use separate Arrival and Departure stickers for entry and exit on all types of passports.

Oman

Omani visa on arrival obtained at Muscat International Airport. The blue rectangular stamp represents the visa and the entry stamp. The round, red stamp is the exit stamp obtained at Wajaja land border. The blue stamp at the left corner is from the Emirati side of Wajaja.

As of December 2017, one who obtains a visa on arrival does not get a round entry stamp. Instead they get a rectangular, blue stamp that states the entry date and validity of the visa. This seems to, however, be the case only when arriving at Muscat International Airport. At land borders, the rectangular stamp is accompanied by a round, blue entry stamp. A round, red exit stamp is issued at all points of exit.

Pakistan

A circular entry stamp in black ink is applied to passports of all nationalities at the time of entry. A triangular multi colored entry stamp was used until 2015. An exit stamp is also applied to all passports when leaving the country. Exit stamp in use at present is rectangular in shape and black in color.

Philippines

At airports, red ink is used for arrivals/entry and green is used for departure/exit. As a general rule, passports of all travellers regardless of their nationality (including Filipino passport holders), need to be stamped at both entry and exit points. The attending officer also writes down the flight number and stamps the passenger's boarding pass upon departure with the same stamp that is used for departure. The shape and/or designs of the stamps are changed every five to six years.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi entry stamps are in black or blue ink. Entry stamps are in oval shape while exit stamps are rounded rectangular. All dates written on the stamps are in the Hijra calendar, and it is written in Arabic. There is no English on the stamps, except for the "EXIT" or "ENTRY" written on the stamps.

Singapore

Singapore entry stamps are in blue or black and either rectangular for those entitled to 14 days, rounded rectangular for those entitled to 30 days stay, or hexagonal for those entitled to 90 day stay. Exit stamps are circular and in green. Both depict the date of entry/exit and entry stamps also state the terms of entry and permitted duration of stay.

Both entry and exit stamps do not name the point of entry/exit but indicate them by the use of letters of the alphabet – "A" is used for entry by air, namely through Changi Airport or Seletar Airport; "S" by sea though the Singapore Cruiseship Terminal or Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal; "T" by land via the Tuas Checkpoint; and "W" by land via the Woodlands Checkpoint. The entry stamp has the letter running along the border of the stamp together with a code number while the exit stamp has a single letter marked in the center of the stamp. From 22 April 2019, foreign travellers no longer get their passports stamped when they depart from Singapore.[7]

Sri Lanka

South Korea

Entry stamp is square shaped and stamped with magenta ink. Exit stamp is round shaped and stamped with cyan ink. Exit stamp is omitted to every passenger since 1 November 2016. Entry stamp is only omitted to Republic of Korea travel document holder since 10 February 2011. Beginning January 2018, landing slips are issued to visitors on arrival in South Korea instead of passport stamps, and on departure from South Korea no slips or passport stamps are issued (being unable to present the landing slip on departure does not affect a traveller's ability to clear immigration). As of January 2020, entry stamp is still issued in other entry points besides Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport.

Taiwan

A set of new passport stamps was used from February 10, 2013. The Chinese characters on the new stamps are inscribed by Yang-Zi Dong, a famous calligrapher in Taiwan.

Thailand

Immigration stamps applied by Thailand's Immigration Bureau are stamped on all passports upon arrival at or departure from Thailand. All stamps are made in blue ink. Entry stamps are rectangular and exit stamps are triangular. Stamps bear the date and point of entry/exit, as well as a letter running along the border of the stamp accompanying a code number. Entry stamps for foreigners also state expiry date.

52 Automatic passport check machines were installed at Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang International Airport to scan certain Thai, Singaporean and Hong Kong passports.[8] For Singaporean and Hong Kong passports, once the machine clears your immigration, you move forward to an immigration officer who would inspect your departure card and passport to ensure that the details match each other. The passport is then stamped and your immigration card is collected by the immigration officer.

Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste uses a full page blue stamp along with a red date entry stamp on entry. Exit stamps are a black oval.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE use oval blue stamps on entry, along with a smaller blue rectangular stamp showing the valid length of stay. Exit stamps are a green oval.

Vietnam

Vietnam passport stamps are rectangular and name the point of entry, date of entry and whether the person is exiting or entering the country by using an arrow out of or into a box similar to the Schengen passport stamps. Mode of entry is indicated by an icon and also differentiated by the colour of the stamp – blue for air, red for land crossings. The permitted length of stay is printed with a separate stamp and the final date handwritten.

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Egypt

Eritrea

Eswatini

Ethiopia

French overseas departments (Mayotte and Réunion)

When arriving in and departing from the French overseas departments of Mayotte and Réunion, French Border Police officers stamp travellers' travel documents according to the following rules:[9][10]

Persons whose travel documents are to be stamped Persons whose travel documents are not to be stamped
  • Third-country nationals (unless covered by an exemption listed in the right hand column)
  • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
  • Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens holding a residence permit issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under Directive 2004/38/EC
  • Andorran, Monégasque and San Marinese citizens
  • Heads of state and dignitaries whose arrival has been officially announced in advance through diplomatic channels
  • Pilots and members of aircraft crews
  • Seamen (only when their ship calls in and in the area of the port of call)
  • Crew and passengers of cruise ships

Travellers flying directly from metropolitan France to Mayotte or Réunion only undergo border checks by the French Border Police at the departure airport in metropolitan France and not on arrival at Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi International Airport in Mayotte or Roland Garros Airport in Réunion. However, as third-country nationals (who do not benefit from one of the exemptions in the right-hand column above) are required to receive a passport stamp, the French Border Police will give them an information sheet when they leave metropolitan France informing them that they should present themselves to the French Border Police at the arrival airport to receive a passport stamp. On the other hand, travellers flying directly from Mayotte or Réunion to metropolitan France undergo border checks by the French Border Police both on departure and on arrival, when their travel documents will be stamped accordingly.[11]

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea Bissau

Kenya

Malawi

Morocco

Mozambique

Nigeria

Rwanda

Senegal

South Africa

Tanzania

Tunisia

Tunisia stamps passports on entry and exit. In the photo below, the red stamp indicates the entry date, while the black stamp indicates the exit date.[12]

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Schengen Area

All 26 European countries within the Schengen Area have entry and exit stamps of a uniform design. As of April 2016, at a national level, 11 Schengen countries (Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain)[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] have developed computer databases recording entries and exits of third-country nationals (i.e. travellers who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens) at external border crossing points. However, on a Schengen-wide level, there is no centralised computer database that tracks entries and exits at all of the external border crossing points of the 26 Schengen countries, nor are entry and exit records from national databases shared between countries.[20] As a result, law enforcement officials continue to rely on checking passport stamps as the primary way to check that travellers who do not have the right of free movement have not exceeded their length of permitted stay in the Schengen Area.

Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 envisages the establishment of an Entry-Exit System (EES) which will record third-country nationals' entries and exits when they cross the external borders of the Schengen Area in a central database, replacing passport stamps.[21] As of April 2020, EES is scheduled to enter into operation sometime in the first quarter of 2022.[22]

There are no systematic immigration checks when travelling between Schengen countries (i.e. crossing the internal borders of the Schengen Area). Passport stamps are never issued when travelling between Schengen countries, even when immigration checks between Schengen countries are temporarily re-introduced.[23]

When travelling to/from a non-Schengen country (i.e. crossing the external borders of the Schengen Area), the rules on stamping travel documents are as follows:[24]

Persons whose travel documents are to be stamped Persons whose travel documents are not to be stamped
Logbook recording which border guards are assigned passport stamps at the external border crossing point at the Port of Algeciras in Spain

Border officials are required, by law, to stamp the travel documents of third country nationals who do not qualify for one of the exemptions listed in the right hand column, even when border controls have been relaxed. Exceptionally, if stamping a person's travel document would cause serious difficulties (such as political persecution), border officials can instead issue a sheet of paper detailing the person's name, travel document number and entry date and location.[24] However, in practice, border officials do not always stamp the travel documents of travellers as legally required.[28][29] If a person who should have received an entry stamp cannot show one either upon request by a law enforcement officer or upon leaving the Schengen Area to a border official, the officer can presume that the person has been staying illegally in the Schengen Area and can expel him/her, unless the person can demonstrate using credible evidence (such as transport tickets and accommodation receipts) that he/she has not exceeded his/her permitted length of stay in the Schengen Area.[30]

Also, whilst by law persons enjoying the right of freedom of movement are not to receive a passport stamp, in practice, upon request, a stamp may be given – see the gallery below for an example of an entry stamp being issued upon request by an EU citizen. Similarly, although by law heads of state are not to receive a passport stamp, in practice, this is not always followed. For example, when arriving for the 37th G8 summit in Deauville, United States President Barack Obama had his passport stamped at Deauville – Saint-Gatien Airport.[31] Similarly, when President Obama attended the 2009 Strasbourg–Kehl summit, his diplomatic passport was stamped on arrival at Strasbourg Airport on 3 April 2009, and after visiting Prague, Czech Republic, his diplomatic passport was stamped on departure from Prague Ruzyně Airport on 5 April 2009.[32]

Although, according to EU rules, third country nationals who hold residence permits should not have their travel documents stamped, France nevertheless requires third country nationals holding a visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour (a long-stay visa serving additionally as a residence permit for up to one year) to receive a passport stamp upon their first entry to the Schengen Area as a part of the process to validate the visa as a residence permit; without an entry stamp, the process cannot be completed.[33]

Third-country nationals who otherwise fulfil all the criteria for admission into the Schengen area must not be denied entry for the sole reason that there is no remaining empty space in their travel document to affix a stamp; instead, the stamp should be affixed on a separate sheet of paper.[34]

Entry and exit stamps are applied in black ink, except for the red date stamp and a two-digit security code in the middle. The two-digit security code must be changed at least once a month,[35] although some Schengen countries (such as Greece) change security codes every day.[23] The stamps bear the country abbreviation within a circle of stars in the top left hand corner, the name of the entry/exit border crossing point in Latin alphabet at the bottom, and an icon in the top right hand corner to denote the mode of entry/exit. Below the name of the border crossing point is an identifying number – a record is kept of the identity of the border officer to whom a given stamp is assigned at any given time.[36] Entry stamps are rectangular and have an arrow into a square, while exit stamps are rectangular with rounded corners and have an arrow out of a square. The stamps do not indicate any maximum permitted duration of stay.

Border guards are required to ensure the secure storage of passport stamps in locked safes between shifts. Border posts are advised to set out clear responsibilities and instructions for the distribution and use of passport stamps.[37]

According to European Commission recommendations and guidelines, stamps should be affixed in travel documents by border officials in the following manner:[29][38]

  • in chronological order
  • in a horizontal position
  • in a clear and straight manner (i.e. with enough ink and not over the edge of a page)
  • the exit stamp should be affixed in the proximity of the entry stamp
  • no stamp should be affixed over another stamp or over the machine readable zone of a visa
  • if the travel document contains a single-entry Schengen visa, the stamp should be affixed over the edge of the visa, but without affecting the legibility of the conditions and security features of the visa
  • if the travel document contains a multiple-entry Schengen visa, the stamp should be affixed on the page facing the one on which the visa is affixed

If a third-country national is refused entry to the Schengen Area, the border official is required to affix an entry stamp in the travel document, cancel the stamp by an indelible cross in blank ink and write the letter corresponding to the reason for the refusal of entry to the right-hand side of the cancelled stamp.[39][40]

By contrast, if a border official has affixed a stamp in a travel document by mistake (as opposed to a refusal of entry), the stamp can be annulled by drawing two parallel lines through the top left-hand corner.[41]

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, starting from 16 March 2020 there is a temporary restriction on the entry of third-country nationals (i.e. travellers who are not EU/EEA/Swiss/British citizens and family members with the right of free movement) to the Schengen Area for non-essential travel. However, third-country nationals who are holders of long-term visas or residence permits or are family members of EU/EEA/Swiss/British citizens are exempt from this restriction. Further, third-country nationals 'with an essential function or need' (such as healthcare workers, transport personnel, aid workers, military personnel, seasonal agricultural workers), passengers in transit, those travelling 'for imperative family reasons' and those 'in need of international protection or for other humanitarian reasons' are exempt from this restriction.[42][43] Citizens of the European micro-states (Andorra, the Holy See, Monaco and San Marino) are also exempt from this restriction. In addition, citizens of Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey are exempt from this restriction if they are stranded abroad and are repatriated to their country of origin. Third-country nationals (not covered by one of the exemptions from the temporary restriction of entry for non-essential reasons) who seek to enter the Schengen Area will be refused entry at the border crossing point and will receive a refusal of entry form (with the reason of refusal marked as "I", i.e. a threat to public health), as well as a passport stamp cancelled by an indelible cross in black ink and the letter "I" on the right hand side.[44]

The obligation imposed by European law on national border authorities to stamp travel documents of certain travellers should not prevent the development of automated border control systems which are then made available to those who are required to have their travel documents stamped when crossing the external border of the Schengen Area. One solution is to dedicate separate lanes to third-country nationals and to have a border guard physically positioned next to the automated border gates used by these lanes who can stamp travel documents where required: this has been adopted by the Finnish Border Guard at the automated border gates in Helsinki Airport, where eligible users (who are required to receive a passport stamp) include holders of Canadian, Japanese, South Korean and United States biometric passports,[45][46][47] and in the Port of Helsinki, where eligible users (who are required to receive a passport stamp) include Russian citizens,[46] as well as by the Portuguese Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras at the automated border gates in Lisbon Airport where eligible users (who are required to receive a passport stamp) include holders of Angolan and Brazilian passports and holders of diplomatic/service passports. This approach has also been adopted in Italy, where eligible users of eGates include holders of Australian, Canadian, Israeli, Japanese, New Zealand, Singaporean, South Korean, United States and Vatican biometric passports. A similar but slightly different solution has been adopted by the Dutch Royal Marechaussee at the Privium iris recognition automated border gates at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, where eligible users include registered EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, US citizens who are Global Entry members, and all nationals who are holders of diplomatic passports, as well as by the German Federal Police at the ABG Plus iris recognition automated border gates at Frankfurt Airport where eligible users include registered EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and US citizens who are Global Entry members: when eligible third-country nationals use Privium/ABG Plus, after their iris is scanned and verified, a different gate/door/turnstile opens to that for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and the third-country national user is directed to a lane which leads them to the front of the queue for manual passport checks at immigration desks, where the border guard stamps the user's passport. Another possible solution would be to design the automated border gates to print a paper slip with an entry or exit stamp on it, as well as the user's name and travel document number, whenever the user is a traveller who is subject to the requirement to have his/her travel document stamped.[48]

Passport stamps by Schengen member state
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland

Albania

Although Albania is not a European Union or Schengen Area member state, and is outside the EU freedom of movement area, it has adopted the common Schengen design for passport stamps. In addition, passports of EU/EFTA countries, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino are not stamped.[1]

Andorra

Entry from France or Spain requires no formalities. However a souvenir stamp is issued on request at the border.

Belarus

Entry stamp in Brest (January 2000)

Belarus is a member of the Union State of Russia and Belarus but, like Russia, still has its own passport stamps. Belarus passport stamps have the state's name in the Belorusian language: Republic of Belarus, a chevron (facing to the left for entry, to the right for exit), date and name of the checkpoint.

Bulgaria

Although Bulgaria is a European Union member state, it has not yet joined the Schengen Area. Nonetheless, it has adopted the common Schengen design for passport stamps.

Croatia

After joining the European Union on 1 July 2013, Croatia adopted the common Schengen design for passport stamps, even though Croatia is still not a member of the Schengen passport-free area.

Cyprus

Although Cyprus is a European Union member state, it has not yet joined the Schengen Area. Nonetheless, it has adopted the common Schengen design for passport stamps.

Czech Republic

Germany

Refused entries (Zurückweisung) are stamped in the passports, too.

Ireland

Kosovo

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is a member of the Schengen area with no borders with non-Schengen countries; thus, no passport stamps are issued. However, for a nominal fee, a souvenir stamp can be issued at the Liechtenstein Center tourist office.[49]

Lithuania

Monaco

The border with France is completely open. However, a souvenir stamp is given on request at the tourist office.

Montenegro

North Macedonia

Although North Macedonia is not a European Union or Schengen Area member state, and is outside the EU freedom of movement area, it has adopted the common Schengen design for passport stamps. In addition, passports of EU/EFTA countries are not stamped.[2]

Poland

Romania

Romania is not currently a member of the Schengen Area, however, being in the European Union since 2007, Romanian entry and exit stamps have been harmonised with the format of the stamps issued by Schengen states.

Russia

Entry and exit stamps are placed in passports regardless of citizenship; Russian passports are stamped as well as foreign ones, except the Internal Passports, with which Russian citizens may travel to a few countries of the CIS. The stamp shows the name of the country (КПП below the country name stands for checkpoint – контрольно-пропускной пункт), the date, the name of the checkpoint and the personal code of the immigration official applying the stamp. Stamp colours and series (the last number following the date) change every time in few years, currently the colour of the stamps is red of 9 series, but it can be blue or crimson as well. Entry or exit is designated by a direction of an angle bracket in the stamp: if it points to the right, that denotes exit. Ukrainian passport stamps are identical to the Russian stamps and have the same information. They can be stamped in green, red, orange, blue, pink and sometimes black ink.

San Marino

Even though there is an open border agreement with Italy, visitors can have their passport stamped by the San Marino authority at the passport office in the city centre for a small fee.

Serbia

Serbia stamps both Serbian and foreign passports on exit, and foreign passports also on entry (until March 2018, foreign passports were not stamped on exit).

Switzerland

Although Switzerland is not a European Union member state, it is part of the Schengen Area and so it has adopted the common Schengen design for passport stamps.

Turkey

Although Turkey is neither a European Union member state, nor a part of the Schengen Area, it has adopted a design for passport stamps similar to that of the Schengen area.

Ukraine

Ukrainian passport stamps bear the country's name (since 2020 only country code UA), mode of travel (ship, train, vehicle, plane), code of the immigration officer, chevron (facing to the right for entry, to the left for exit), date, serial code (probably periodic), name of the checkpoint and its code. All are written in the Ukrainian language.

United Kingdom

The UK Border Force only stamps the travel documents of travellers entering the UK from outside the Common Travel Area who do not have the right of abode in the UK. When such travellers are granted leave to enter the UK, a stamp will generally be endorsed in their travel document, as the general rule laid down by section 4(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 is that power to give leave to enter the UK 'shall be exercised by notice in writing'.[50] Passport stamps are in black ink and bear the name of the entry point, as well as the immigration officer's identification number.

Non-visa nationals entering as a visitor (except Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, Singaporean, South Korean and United States citizens)[51] receive a passport stamp with the endorsement 'Leave to enter for six months: employment and recourse to public funds prohibited'.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens (regardless of whether they hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme in the UK) entering the UK on their passport or national identity card do not receive a stamp.[52]

If the traveller is the holder of a visa/entry clearance or a person exempt from immigration control (e.g. a diplomat), he/she receives an open date passport stamp (i.e. a stamp that does not contain any leave conditions).[53][54] Moreover, this entry passport stamp is stamped on the right edge of the visa/entry clearance (if the traveller has one) on the traveller's first entry to indicate that the document has been used, even if the document is valid for multiple entries.

The following table shows which travellers arriving in the UK from outside the Common Travel Area receive a passport stamp:

Category of persons Travel document to be stamped on arrival in the UK
British or Irish and Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode No
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens (regardless of whether they hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme in the UK)[52] No
Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, Singaporean, South Korean and United States citizens using an ePassport gate or entering as a visitor[51] No
Persons exempt from immigration control (e.g. diplomats)[54] Yes (with an open date stamp)
All other persons not covered in a category above Yes

As a derogation from the general requirement to grant leave to enter the UK 'by notice in writing' in the form of a passport stamp (where a person without the right of abode and the right to free movement arrives in the UK from outside the Common Travel Area), UK Border Force officers are permitted by law to grant leave to enter by fax or e-mail, and may also grant leave to enter orally (including by telephone) if the traveller seeks to enter the UK as a visitor for up to 6 months.[55]

All travellers from outside the Common Travel Area entering the UK using the ePassport gates (including those without the right of abode) do not receive a passport stamp.[56] Non-visa nationals entering the UK as a visitor who successfully use an ePassport gate are granted 6 months' leave to enter (subject to conditions prohibiting employment and recourse to public funds) without receiving any written notice/endorsement.[57][58][59]

Since 20 May 2019, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, New Zealand, Singaporean, South Korean and United States citizens who enter the UK as a visitor and are granted leave to enter for 6 months do not receive a passport stamp, regardless of whether they use an ePassport gate or a staffed counter.[51] However, citizens of these countries who enter the UK with a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting) Certificate of Sponsorship (for up to 3 months)[60] or on a permitted paid engagement[61] are not eligible to use the ePassport gates and must use a staffed counter, where they will receive a passport stamp.[62][63]

When the transition period of the UK's withdrawal from the EU came to an end on 31 December 2020, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens became subject to immigration control. However, regardless of whether they hold settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme in the UK, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens continue not to receive a stamp when entering the UK on their passport or national identity card.[52]

In the case of general aviation flights arriving in the UK from outside the Common Travel Area, travellers may not be inspected by the UK Border Force on arrival (depending on the risk assessment conducted on the basis of the travellers' information submitted in advance via the General Aviation Report (GAR) form) and may be 'remotely cleared' instead. In this case, no passport stamp is received.[64]

Previously, all travellers entering the UK using the Iris Recognition Immigration System (including non-UK/EU/EEA/Swiss citizens) did not receive a passport stamp.

The UK Border Agency had a policy from 23 June 2008 until 4 November 2011 of conducting onboard clearance of some passengers travelling by coach at the juxtaposed controls at the Port of Calais and the Eurotunnel Calais Terminal. Passengers' travel documents were visually inspected by a UKBA officer on the coach, without the passengers having to disembark and pass through immigration control (where their travel documents would be scanned and, when required, stamped). This concession mainly applied to school groups travelling within the European Economic Area, though it was also extended to some other groups, such as elderly passengers, travellers with special needs, brownie and scout groups and sports teams. This policy meant that some passengers whose travel documents would usually be stamped did not receive a stamp on entering the UK.[65]

Travellers arriving in the UK directly from the Channel Islands, Ireland and the Isle of Man are not subject to immigration checks as they are travelling within the Common Travel Area. Accordingly, no passport stamp is received.[66]

There are no routine exit checks when departing from the UK for a destination outside the Common Travel Area by air, rail or sea. Instead, airline/rail/ferry companies obtain passengers' travel document information at check-in or on departure and transmit the information electronically to the UK Border Force. However, from time to time spot checks are carried out by the UK Border Force (in this case, travel documents are not stamped).[67]

Canada

Canada no longer routinely stamp passports upon entry. With effect from 2 April 2012, Border Services Officers of the Canada Border Services Agency will only stamp passports in the following circumstances:[68]

  • Seasonal agricultural workers
  • Persons authorized to extend their stay in Canada
  • Visitors arriving under a Parent/Grandparent super-visa
  • Persons attaining permanent resident status at a port of entry
  • Diplomatic visitors accredited to Canada arriving for the first time
  • Persons issued a visitor record, limiting the duration of stay in Canada
  • At the specific request of the traveler arriving at an international airport equipped with a Primary Inspection Kiosk [69]

Cayman Islands

Cuba

  • Cuban Government by policy does not stamp US Passports.

French overseas departments and collectivities

When arriving in and departing from the French overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique and the French overseas collectivities of Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, French Border Police officers stamp travellers' travel documents according to the following rules:[10][70]

Persons whose travel documents are to be stamped Persons whose travel documents are not to be stamped
  • Third-country nationals (unless covered by an exemption listed in the right hand column)
  • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
  • Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens holding a residence card issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under Directive 2004/38/EC (when entering/leaving Guadeloupe/Martinique/Saint Pierre and Miquelon)
  • Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens holding a residence card issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland (when entering/leaving Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin)
  • Andorran, Monégasque and San Marinese citizens
  • Heads of state and dignitaries whose arrival has been officially announced in advance through diplomatic channels
  • Pilots and members of aircraft crews
  • Seamen (only when their ship calls in and in the area of the port of call)
  • Crew and passengers of cruise ships

Travellers flying directly from metropolitan France to Guadeloupe, Martinique or Saint Pierre and Miquelon only undergo border checks by the French Border Police at the departure airport in metropolitan France and not on arrival in the French overseas department/collectivity. However, as third-country nationals (who do not benefit from one of the exemptions in the right-hand column above) are required to receive a passport stamp, the French Border Police will give them an information sheet when they leave metropolitan France informing them that they should present themselves to the French Border Police at the arrival airport to receive a passport stamp. On the other hand, travellers flying directly from Guadeloupe, Martinique or Saint Pierre and Miquelon to metropolitan France undergo border checks by the French Border Police both on departure and on arrival, when their travel documents will be stamped accordingly.[11]

Whilst the rules for stamping travel documents of travellers arriving in and departing from the French overseas departments/collectivities mentioned above are based upon the rules which apply in metropolitan France and the Schengen Area (see the section above), important differences exist between the two sets of rules. For example, when crossing the external border of the Schengen Area, only family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who hold a residence card issued under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC and who are accompanying or joining their EU, EEA and Swiss citizen family member exercising the right of freedom of movement are exempt from having their travel documents stamped, whereas in the French overseas departments/collectivities mentioned above, more generous rules apply — when entering/leaving Guadeloupe/Martinique/Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen who holds a residence card issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC is exempt from having his/her travel document stamped regardless of whether he/she is accompanying/joining his/her EU/EEA/Swiss citizen family member; when entering/leaving Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin, a family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen who holds a residence card issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland is exempt from having his/her travel document stamped regardless of whether he/she is accompanying/joining his/her EU/EEA/Swiss citizen family member and regardless of whether the residence card was issued under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC. Another example relates to third-country nationals who hold a residence permit issued by a Schengen member state — when crossing the external border of the Schengen Area, his/her travel document should not be stamped,[26] but when entering/leaving a French overseas department/collectivity, whilst he/she is not required to hold a visa for a short stay not exceeding 90 days in a 180-day period,[71] his/her travel document will be stamped upon entry and exit.

Another exception applies in the case of the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin—travellers who in principle are subject to the obligation to have their travel documents stamped but who have cleared immigration control in Sint Maarten will not have their passport stamped when they enter/leave the French side of Saint Martin.[70]

The design of passport stamps issued in the French overseas departments/collectivities differs from those issued in metropolitan France/the Schengen Area. Previously, entry stamps issued in French overseas departments/collectivities were rectangular, whilst exit stamps were hexagonal. Under the current design, both entry and exit stamps issued in French overseas departments/collectivities are hexagonal and have a similar design to Schengen Area stamps. The top left corner states Outre-Mer and F, and indicates the 3-digit INSEE code for the overseas department/collectivity where the stamp was issued (971 for Guadeloupe, 972 for Martinique, 975 for Saint Pierre and Miquelon, 978 for Saint Martin).

Haiti

Mexico

Panama

United States

The actual deadline to leave the U.S. for those admitted on a non-immigrant status is written at the bottom of the stamp, placed in the passport (when entering by air or sea) or on a green I-94W form stapled into the passport,

With the introduction of Automated Passport Control (APC), entries are not always stamped into passports of travelers using the kiosks (especially US and Canadian passports). There are custom slips printed out from the machine, which are stamped by immigration and then handed over to customs.

Australia

The Australian government no longer stamps travellers’ passports on arrival or departure from Australia as a matter of principle, regardless of whether travellers go through SmartGate or are processed manually at a counter. If travellers need exit stamps in their passports, they must ask the Australian Border Force officer when they depart from Australia.[72]

Fiji

French overseas territories (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)

When arriving in and departing from the French overseas territories of French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna, French Border Police officers stamp travellers' travel documents according to the following rules:[73][74][75][76]

Persons whose travel documents are to be stamped Persons whose travel documents are not to be stamped
  • Third-country nationals (unless covered by an exemption listed in the right hand column)
  • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
  • Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens holding a residence permit issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland
  • Andorran, Monégasque and San Marinese citizens
  • Heads of state and dignitaries whose arrival has been officially announced in advance through diplomatic channels
  • Pilots and members of aircraft crews
  • Seamen (only when their ship calls in and in the area of the port of call)
  • Crew and passengers of cruise ships

When travelling between the French overseas territories situated in the Pacific Ocean (for example, when travelling directly by plane from New Caledonia to French Polynesia), unless qualifying for one of the exemptions in the right hand column in the table above, a traveller will receive a passport stamp in his/her travel document upon departure from New Caledonia and another stamp upon arrival in French Polynesia.

Whilst the rules for stamping travel documents of travellers arriving in and departing from the French overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean are based upon the rules which apply in metropolitan France and the Schengen Area (see the section above), important differences exist between the two sets of rules. For example, when crossing the external border of the Schengen Area, only family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens who hold a residence card issued under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC and who are accompanying or joining their EU, EEA and Swiss citizen family member exercising the right of freedom of movement are exempt from having their travel documents stamped, whereas in the French overseas territories in the Pacific, more generous rules apply — a family member of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen who holds a residence permit issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland is exempt from having his/her travel document stamped regardless of whether he/she is accompanying/joining his/her EU/EEA/Swiss citizen family member and regardless of whether his/her residence permit was issued under Article 10 of Directive 2004/38/EC. Another example relates to third-country nationals who hold a residence permit issued by a Schengen member state – when crossing the external border of the Schengen Area, his/her travel document should not be stamped,[26] but when entering/leaving a French overseas territory in the Pacific, whilst he/she is not required to hold a visa for a short stay not exceeding 90 days in a 180-day period,[71] his/her travel document will be stamped upon entry and exit.

The design of passport stamps issued in the French overseas territories in the Pacific differs from those issued in metropolitan France/the Schengen Area. Previously, entry stamps issued in French overseas territories in the Pacific were rectangular, whilst exit stamps were hexagonal. Under the current design, both entry and exit stamps issued in French overseas territories in the Pacific are hexagonal, and are similar in design to Schengen Area passport stamps. The top left corner states Outre-Mer and F, and indicates the 3-digit INSEE code for the overseas territory where the stamp was issued (988 for New Caledonia).

New Zealand

Since March 2018, the New Zealand Customs Service ceased stamping passports for Australian permanent residents and New Zealand residents.[77] General entry stamps continue to be used for temporary visa holders.

On arrival in New Zealand, travellers who are neither New Zealand nor Australian citizens or permanent residents who are granted entry into the country will receive a 'Visitor Visa' rectangular stamp in their travel document.

New Zealand and Australian citizens do not have their passports stamped on arrival in New Zealand unless specifically requested.

Travellers using eGate (available to holders of a New Zealand, Australian, Chinese, Canadian, Dutch, French, German, Irish, Japanese, Singaporean, South Korean, United Kingdom or United States ePassport aged 12 years or over) will not have their passports stamped on arrival in New Zealand.

For all travellers, passports are not stamped on departure from New Zealand regardless of nationality and whether using an immigration desk or eGate.

Niue

Niue passport stamps bear the name of the country, a map outline of Niue, date and location of entry/departure.

Vanuatu

The passport stamp bears the country name, date and port of entry/departure.

Argentina

Brazil

Holder of Brazilian passports entering or departing from Brazil will not receive a passport stamp. However, other nationals will go through customs and receive a stamp for both entry and exit. When entering Brazil by car from another country such as Argentina or Paraguay, few people go through customs and thus rarely receive stamps in their passport.

Chile

Colombia

French Guiana

When arriving in and departing from the French overseas department of French Guiana, French Border Police officers stamp travellers' travel documents according to the following rules:[9][10]

Persons whose travel documents are to be stamped Persons whose travel documents are not to be stamped
  • Third-country nationals (unless covered by an exemption listed in the right hand column)
  • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
  • Family members of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens holding a residence permit issued by an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland under Directive 2004/38/EC
  • Andorran, Monégasque and San Marinese citizens
  • Heads of state and dignitaries whose arrival has been officially announced in advance through diplomatic channels
  • Pilots and members of aircraft crews
  • Seamen (only when their ship calls in and in the area of the port of call)
  • Crew and passengers of cruise ships

Travellers flying directly from metropolitan France to French Guiana only undergo border checks by the French Border Police at the departure airport in metropolitan France and not on arrival in French Guiana. However, as third-country nationals (who do not benefit from one of the exemptions in the right-hand column above) are required to receive a passport stamp, the French Border Police will give them an information sheet when they leave metropolitan France informing them that they should present themselves to the French Border Police at the arrival airport to receive a passport stamp. On the other hand, travellers flying directly from French Guiana to metropolitan France undergo border checks by the French Border Police both on departure and on arrival, when their travel documents will be stamped accordingly.[11]

Both entry and exit stamps issued in French Guiana are hexagonal, and are similar in design to Schengen Area passport stamps. The top left corner states Outre-Mer and F, and indicates the 3-digit INSEE code (973) for French Guiana.

Peru

Venezuela

Countries/Regions not issuing exit immigration stamps

In some countries, there is no formal control by immigration officials of travel documents upon exit. Consequently, exit stamps are not placed in passports. Exit may be recorded by immigration authorities via information provided to them by carriers when the passenger departs from the country.

No exit control

  • United States of America[78]
  • Canada
  • Mexico (by air)
  • Bahamas
  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom (Border Force officers do not carry out systematic checks of travel documents on passengers travelling to a destination outside the Common Travel Area by air, rail or sea (though from time to time spot checks are carried out – in this case passports are not stamped); instead, airline/rail/ferry companies obtain passengers' travel document information at check-in or on departure and transmit the information electronically to the UK Border Force)[67]

Formal exit control without passport stamping

  • Australia (Exit stamp issued upon explicit request)[79]
  • China (Exit stamp issued upon request when using e-Gate)
  • Costa Rica (only at Costa Rican airports; different entry and exit stamps are made at the border crossing with Panama)
  • El Salvador
  • Fiji
  • Hong Kong (no entry or exit stamps are issued, instead landing slips are issued upon arrival only)[80]
  • Iran[81]
  • Israel (no entry or exit stamps are issued at Ben Gurion Airport, instead landing slips are issued upon arrival and departure)
  • Japan (Exit stamp issued upon request & when not using e-Gate since July 2019)[82]
  • Macau (no entry or exit stamps are issued, instead landing slips are issued upon arrival only)
  • New Zealand
  • South Korea (since 1 November 2016)
  • Panama (only at Panamanian airports; different entry and exit stamps are made at the border crossing with Costa Rica)
  • Republic of China (exit stamp issued upon request & when not using e-Gate)
  • Singapore (no exit stamps since 22 April 2019)[83]
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Schengen Area countries (when the Entry Exit System becomes operational in 2022, it is anticipated that the passports of third-country nationals will not be stamped when they enter and leave the Schengen Area)[22]

However, in some of these countries a departure card is stamped.

See also

Notes

  1. 5 Caribbean Ports to Get Your Passport Stamped
  2. Cruise Tales – 2015 South and East Caribbean #6: In Search of Passport Stamps
  3. Tens of thousands of hours can be saved by non-stamping immigration clearance
  4. "Tanjong Pagar: Talks 'break down'", New Straits Times, pp. 1, 7, 31 July 1998
  5. Sukyingcharoenwong, Mayuree (1 August 2017). "Singapore, HK visitors to enjoy fast immigration". The Nation. Bangkok.
  6. Arrêté du 4 février 2015 relatif aux documents et visas exigés pour l'entrée des étrangers sur le territoire de Mayotte
  7. Arrêté du 26 juillet 2011 relatif aux documents et visas exigés pour l'entrée des étrangers sur le territoire de la Guadeloupe, la Guyane, la Martinique, La Réunion et de la collectivité de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon (Annexe I)
  8. "Doubles contrôles aux frontières dans les aéroports de la capitale pour les Français des Antilles". Senate of France. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  9. "EXIT STAMP – Entry into force on 1st of October 2014". 2014-09-23. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  10. "Commission Staff Working Document: Impact Assessment Report on the establishment of an EU Entry Exit System, pg. 11" (PDF). 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  11. Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an Entry/Exit System (EES) to register entry and exit data of third country nationals crossing the external borders of the Member States of the European Union, pg. 2
  12. Communication from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, pg. 6
  13. Current state of play in relation to innovated border management in the EU
  14. Council of the European Union: Questionnaire on the possible creation of a system of electronic recording of entries and exits of third country nationals in the Schengen area
  15. Council of the European Union: Questionnaire on the possible creation of a system of electronic recording of entries and exits of third country nationals in the Schengen area (Replies from Bulgaria, France, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Portugal)
  16. Council of the European Union: Questionnaire on the possible creation of a system of electronic recording of entries and exits of third country nationals in the Schengen area (Reply from Greece)
  17. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Preparing the next steps in border management in the European Union, p.5.
  18. Regulation (EU) 2017/2226 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2017 establishing an Entry/Exit System (EES) to register entry and exit data and refusal of entry data of third-country nationals crossing the external borders of the Member States and determining the conditions for access to the EES for law enforcement purposes, and amending the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement and Regulations (EC) No 767/2008 and (EU) No 1077/2011 (OJ L 327, 9 December 2017, p. 20)
  19. "Smart Borders". European Commission. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  20. Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the operation of the provisions on stamping of the travel documents of third-country nationals in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 (COM (2009) 489, p. 8)
  21. Article 11 of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) (OJ L 77, 23 March 2016, pp. 1–52)
  22. Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the operation of the provisions on stamping of the travel documents of third-country nationals in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 (COM (2009) 489, p. 7)
  23. Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the operation of the provisions on stamping of the travel documents of third-country nationals in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 (COM (2009) 489, pp. 6 and 9) "The Commission is of the opinion that travel documents of third-country nationals who are in possession of a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen Member State should not be stamped." "The Commission underlines that travel documents of third-country nationals who are in possession of a valid residence permit of a Schengen Member State are exempted from the stamping obligation on entry and exit."
  24. "Brexit Readiness: treating UK nationals at the external Schengen borders and related issues" (PDF). 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  25. US Department of State: Schengen Fact Sheet
  26. Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the operation of the provisions on stamping of the travel documents of third-country nationals in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 (COM (2009) 489, p. 4)
  27. Article 12 of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) (OJ L 77, 23 March 2016, pp. 1–52)
  28. Berra, Catherine (6 March 2011). "Le directeur régional des douanes suspendu" [The regional director of customs suspended]. France 3.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 6 June 2011.
  29. "West Wing Week: Mailbag Day Summer Edition". West Wing Week. 13 August 2010. Event occurs at 1:49.
  30. "Quel titre de séjour faut-il avoir pour rester en France plus de 3 mois ? | service-public.fr".
  31. Practical Handbook for Border Guards, Part II, Section I, Point 6.1 (C (2019) 7131, 8 October 2019, p. 56)
  32. Annex IV of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) (OJ L 77, 23 March 2016, pp. 1–52)
  33. Annex II of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) (OJ L 77, 23 March 2016, pp. 1–52)
  34. "Schengen Catalogue: External borders control recommendations and best practices" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2012-07-29.
  35. Practical Handbook for Border Guards, Part II, Section I, Point 6.5 (C (2019) 7131, 8 October 2019, p. 58)
  36. Annex V of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) (OJ L 77, 23 March 2016, pp. 1–52)
  37. Practical Handbook for Border Guards, Part II, Section I, Point 8.4 (C (2019) 7131, 8 October 2019, p. 68)
  38. Practical Handbook for Border Guards, Part II, Section I, Point 8.6 (C (2019) 7131, 8 October 2019, pp. 68-69)
  39. COVID-19: Temporary Restriction on Non-Essential Travel to the EU (COM (2020) 115, 16 March 2020)
  40. "Temporary non-essential travel restrictions". European Commission.
  41. Guidance on the implementation of the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU, on the facilitation of transit arrangements for the repatriation of EU citizens, and on the effects on visa policy' in order to provide 'advice and practical instructions (C (2020) 2050, 30 March 2020)
  42. "How To Use The Automated Border Control Gates" (PDF). Finnair Info. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  43. http://www.raja.fi/facts/news_from_the_border_guard/1/0/expanded_use_of_automated_border_control_gates_at_the_west_terminal_54569
  44. http://frontex.europa.eu/assets/Images_News/ABC_Conference_Report.pdf
  45. Art 11(3) of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) recognises that an entry or exit stamp may be recorded on a sheet of paper indicating the traveller's name and travel document number (rather than inside the traveller's travel document) where stamping the travel document would cause 'serious difficulties' for the traveller. It could be argued that at a particular border crossing point the state of facilities are such that to deny travellers subject to the stamping obligation access to automated border gates and to require them to be processed manually by border guards would constitute 'serious difficulties' for such persons.
  46. Liechtenstein Center
  47. Immigration Act 1971, section 4(1)
  48. "A short guide on right to rent" (PDF). Home Office. July 2019. p. 8. Since 20 May 2019, the majority of individuals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA (known as B5JSSK nationals) have been able to use the eGates at UK airports, sea ports and Brussels and Paris Eurostar terminals, to enter the UK. Those individuals wishing to do so must hold a biometric passport. Those individuals not in possession of a biometric passport will be processed by a Border Force Officer at the manned passport control point. They will not have their passports endorsed with a stamp, instead individuals will be informed of their leave and its associated conditions orally by a Border Force Officer.
  49. "Visit guidance" (PDF). Home Office. 1 December 2020. pp. 74–75. Nationals of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States of America (B5JSSK), EEA states and Switzerland are able to use ePassport gates to enter the UK. If they do so without holding a valid entry clearance, they will automatically receive 6 months permission to enter as a standard visitor and will not receive an endorsement in their passport. If granting permission to enter as a standard visitor to a B5JSSK, EEA or Swiss national at the staffed primary control point, you should not endorse the passenger’s travel document with a code 5N but should instead grant permission to enter verbally, in line with the B5JSSK guidance.
  50. "UK Border Force Operations Manual: EEA Nationals & their family members (General Guidance)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  51. "UK Border Force Operations Manual: Persons exempt from control" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  52. The Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000, Articles 8 and 8ZA (as amended by "The Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) (Amendment) Order 2013", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2013/1749)
  53. "Entering the UK: At border control". UK Border Force. You cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates.
  54. The Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000, Article 8B (as amended by "The Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) (Amendment) Order 2019", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2019/298)
  55. "Visit guidance" (PDF). Home Office. 22 August 2019. pp. 67–68.
  56. The Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000, Articles 8(5) and 8A (as amended by "The Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) (Amendment) Order 2010", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2010/957)
  57. "Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (Tier 5)". Gov.uk.
  58. "Visit guidance" (PDF). Home Office. 22 August 2019. p. 58.
  59. "Entering the UK". Gov.uk.
  60. "Guide to faster travel through the UK border". UK Border Force. 20 May 2019.
  61. "An inspection of General Aviation and General Maritime (February – July 2015)" (PDF). Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. January 2016. pp. 15–27.
  62. "An investigation into border security checks" (PDF). Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. February 2012. pp. 26–28 and 78.
  63. "Common Travel Area" (PDF). Home Office. 22 October 2019.
  64. "Exit checks fact sheet". Border Force and Home Office. 29 March 2015.
  65. ENF 4 Port of Entry Examinations
  66. Primary Inspection Kiosks
  67. Arrêté du 18 avril 2012 relatif aux documents et visas exigés pour l'entrée des étrangers sur le territoire des collectivités de Saint-Barthélemy et de Saint-Martin (Annexe I)
  68. "Requesting a visa".
  69. "Departing from Australia". Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018. We no longer stamp Australian passports as a matter of course but should you require evidence of travel you may ask one of our officers to do so.
  70. Arrêté du 29 décembre 2011 relatif aux documents et visas exigés pour l'entrée des étrangers sur le territoire de la Polynésie française (Annexe I)
  71. "Direction de la Police Aux Frontières / Sécurité / Services de l'État / Accueil – les services de l'État en Polynesie française".
  72. Arrêté du 22 juillet 2011 relatif aux documents et visas exigés pour l'entrée des étrangers sur le territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie (Annexe I)
  73. Arrêté du 26 juillet 2011 relatif aux documents et visas exigés pour l'entrée des étrangers sur le territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna (Annexe I)
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References

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