I realize we live in an electronic age, but I want to have my passport stamped by each country I visit, instead of just coming and going. How does one get that task accomplished?

Good luck, you'll need it. <BR> <BR>In some countries its impossible as they don't even seem to have border controls. If you are crossing countries on the train, there is usually someone who comes by and looks at you and OCCASIONALLY will ask to see your passport. If you smile sweetly and ask them to stamp it for you, they may. Some have refused to stamp it for me, but I always ask when I can. <BR> <BR>Britain is very good at stamping - they will do it for you without even asking!

Ask! I had noticed that the immigration officers in European countries weren't stamping my passport, so at the airport in Rome I asked the agent if he would please stamp it. He said that with U.S. passports, unless they see something suspicious, the Schengen countries don't usually stamp passports--but if they do then they have to do the standard computer check (which takes like ten seconds). I said fine by me, he checked, and I got my stamp. <BR> <BR>Not sure what one would do on a train, though, crossing from one Schengen country to another where there really don't seem to be a whole lot in the way of passport checks anymore. No one looked at ours when we crossed from Germany to the Netherlands, for example, and when we took night trains between France and Italy, and Italy and Germany, we didn't have to leave our passports with the conductor to be stamped at the crossing. Anyone else have any ideas for non-airport stamping?

Great question!! Unfortunately I can't help with the non-airport question (other than to suggest looking for some sort of customs/border control office in the train station), but I am SO GLAD that I am not the only one with the passport stamp obsession!! <BR> <BR>For me, stamps in my passport are sort of a private PROOF that I really did travel, and a passport brimming over with stamps and visas is one of my life's goals! I have humiliated friends and family alike by asking bored, apathetic (and confused) customs/border guards for stamps when they were perfectly content to wave me on through. (My husband thinks this is the silliest obsession he's ever heard of). <BR> <BR>But, the payoff of persistance is worth it - I now only have ONE blank page in my passport and finally have to ask for an extension!!!! Success!!!

Andrea and Gina: I love my stamps too, and I get upset when they don't stamp my passport! When we went to Rome thay just waved us through and I still wanted the stamp! Next time I will ask! Judy

I've always thought that it would be a great way for gov'ts to make money. I would gladly pay a few dollars to have my passport stamped going through 'borderless' countries.

Hi, <BR> <BR>back in the 'olden' days - it seemed like they stamped every time you crossed a border (on a train that is - and even if it were 3 in the AM). <BR> <BR>lately though I've noticed that even flying into an airport isn't enough to warrant a stamp. <BR> <BR>it's a bummer, I agree. I like having my passport filled up. <BR> <BR>another thing I never seem to notice anymore (or maybe I am just not looking). remember the suitcases your parents/grandparents had? with the stickers from every country pasted right on the good ol' leather samsonite or whatever it was? does anyone do that anymore? I have to admit I don't even see those stickers anymore... <BR> <BR>thought? <BR> <BR>Beth

I'll probably stir up a hornet's nest for this, but I really am curious. Why do you care if your passport gets stamped? You know you've been to a country, and you probably have pictures and other momentos. Why do you need a stamp? To impress the next immigration guy?

Why do we take pictures? We know we've been there, what do we need the photo for? Why do I keep theater programs and tickets when I know I went to the show? Why do we keep any souvenirs? Because they remind us of where we've been. <BR> <BR>When I went to the memorial service for a good friend's father last December, what fascinated everyone most on the "memorial table" filled with mementos of his life were his passports. Al was a tourism executive, and the five or six passports he'd had over the years were enormous, stuffed with accordion pages, and bore stamps from nearly every country in the world. It was wonderful to look through them, see the countries and the dates, and think about the many places this global citizen had visited. (I asked his wife--she thinks there might be one or two countries he never made it to, but that's about all.) <BR> <BR>I don't expect I'll be as lucky as Al, to get to see virtually the entire world, but I love having a stamped history of the visits I have made all in one place, in my passport.

Nice answer, Gina! Could not have stated it better than that! Judy

I was very embarrassed after I did this but it is funny now. We drove through a borderless country and didn't get a stamp. We wanted the stamp, someone sid they stamp passports at the post office so we went there and asked to have our passports stamps. The attendant at the counter looked at us puzzled but stamped the passport. When we looked at the stamp it was a cancelled postage stamp. We felt like fools, we actually thought they had customs workers there. But it does have the date, city and country on it and it will make us laugh for years.

I was going to ask the border guards(w/ automatic weapons) to stamp my passport when we drove from Germany into the Czech Republic (at Cheb). As we pulled up , they asked for all of our passports (3 women) and then told my friend to get out of the car! We freaked out, not knowing why they wanted her out, but as she stepped out they told her to get back in. We decided to get out of there. Unfortunately, no stamp.

Gina says it all...

I will be traveling to Europe for the first time this spring and just got my passport. I was so excited when it came that I was jumping up and down like a kid on Christmas. Just to finally have it was such a great feeling of freedom. Like a ticket to anywhere. I can't wait to get my first stamp in it. The day it arrived I told my husband that I plan to have it full before it expires. He just laughed and rolled his eyes.

I am SO glad to see this discussion --- I've wondered why I didn't seem to get stamped and was very disappointed. It does seem a bit silly, but I want my "you were there" proof --- right on Gina!

I have a story that proves passport-stamping is great... <BR> <BR>In 1985, we were on a tour that included a couple of days in Berlin, including an all-day tour to East Berlin. It was a memorable experience for many reasons AND they stamped our passports. I still have that old passport, and it is a great souvenir of a country that does not "exist" anymore (at least the way it existed in '85) and an era that is gone. <BR> <BR>When we got back to the US the passport control guy leafed through my mom's passport, and exclaimed "DDR what were you doing there??!!" My mom replied "tourism." He was mystified - "Tourism, who wants to go there for tourism?"

Boy, this tells you how long it has been since I've been out of the country! <BR>I didn't realize they did not stamp anymore. <BR>Sad.

I got a stamp in my passport from Amsterdam. huh ::hickup::

Hi Sandi. I just wanted to comment on your posting. Cheb in the Czech Rep. is a known red light district. Many men from Germany come there for the adult entertainment. Having driven through there my wife and I were amazed at the number of adult clubs in the town. I then read about it in the lonely planet guidebook of Czeck and Slovak Reps. It's true. <BR>alan

If you want them to stamp your passport, get one from a poor third world country! Arriving back home in Amsterdam yesterday, there was a group of Asians (I believe they were Chinese) and some Romanians ahead of me in the passport control queue at Schiphol. They sure thoroughly inspected and stamped their passports.