No passport stamp entering Italy
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2007
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No passport stamp entering Italy
Hi...
My son just called me from Rome. He flew into FCO yesterday morning and says that they never stamped his passport upon entry.
Mine has always been stamped entering at FCO.
Does he have a major problem?
Will he be hassled leaving next week?
If so, what can he do to solve it?
Thanks.
SS
My son just called me from Rome. He flew into FCO yesterday morning and says that they never stamped his passport upon entry.
Mine has always been stamped entering at FCO.
Does he have a major problem?
Will he be hassled leaving next week?
If so, what can he do to solve it?
Thanks.
SS
#3
Join Date: May 2003
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We are a little bit beyond looking for a stamp in a passport to determine when someone entered a country.
f they want to know you are in the country, your passport will get scanned. When you leave, same process.
f they want to know you are in the country, your passport will get scanned. When you leave, same process.
#4
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My passport was not stamped when I entered France the last two times, never was stamped when entering Switzerland from the US, was stamped 50% of the time when entering the EU through FRA. Never had a problem with when leaving anytime. Don't worry too much and believe me, the customs people know what they're doing.
#7
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While I think my passport is nearly always stamped on arrival by plane in Europe, I don't think anyone has taken the time on departure to really search for the arrival stamp. My last passport, just expired, is so filled with many stamps that are so light they are even impossible to read, is usually just glanced at when I leave, so clearly the agents are not looking to match up an arrival stamp.
#9
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I just got a machine readable passport, but even with my old passport, it wasn't always stamped upon arrival in the EU. I guess most EU countries don't really care if Americans overstay or at least they know that most Americans leave within a couple of weeks at the most.
#10
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Thanks to one and all for the rapid responses.
I have emailed him with the comforting news that he need not be worried.
Having just recently renewed his passport, it is certainly the scannable kind.
Thanks again.
SS
I have emailed him with the comforting news that he need not be worried.
Having just recently renewed his passport, it is certainly the scannable kind.
Thanks again.
SS
#11
Join Date: May 2008
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Mine has always been stamped. However, last year while traveling to Italy with a connection in CDG, mine was stamped, but a friend I was with hers was not. She did not realized this until we arrived at our gate and was very upset b/c she would not be able to prove to her family that she was in Paris and actually went back to Immigrations so they could stamp it for her (without me). I guess she got lost going back, because she came back without her stamp. Didn't know what the big deal was.
jdc
jdc
#12
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'Passports are not stamped, they are scanned. The information goes to Schengen database.'
Partly true.
Yes, passports are routinely scanned when entering the Schengen area, but it's to check details against Schengen database (SIS) of undersirables, immigration offenders, those wanted by member countries and forged or stolen documents etc. Your arrival isn't electronically recorded (maybe for the national detabase, but not Schengen-wide). Ditto when leaving Schengen.
Partly true.
Yes, passports are routinely scanned when entering the Schengen area, but it's to check details against Schengen database (SIS) of undersirables, immigration offenders, those wanted by member countries and forged or stolen documents etc. Your arrival isn't electronically recorded (maybe for the national detabase, but not Schengen-wide). Ditto when leaving Schengen.
#16
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My new passport wasn't stamped flying into Paris this spring; when flying out of Berlin ten days later, I was politely asked how I got into Europe. I'm sure the guard had all the necessary information on the screen but just wanted to check. In any case, it wasn't a big deal.
#19
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Mine is stamped at random, and there were several times when mine was stamped and DH's wasn't, or vice versa. I guess it depends on their moods.
For what it's worth, I did get mine stamped on all three visits to FCO.
Tracy
For what it's worth, I did get mine stamped on all three visits to FCO.
Tracy