I'm a passport stamp fanatic too. So far haven't had a problem at airports. When we arrived on Eurostar at Gare du Nord in Paris several years ago, we were determined to get a stamp and looked around until we found a customs office. A gentleman came out after we knocked on the door and obliged. That stamp has a train on it (we later got a stamp with a plane at CDG). <BR> <BR>On a recent trip, we arrived in Zurich after 8-10 hours of flying and changing planes in Canada, and I asked for a stamp. The customs officer snottily said, "In my country we say please." I was so punchy don't know if I said please or not (I'm usually pretty well mannered). I was so embarrassed and angry I replied, "In my country we respect our elders." <BR> <BR>Our last adventure was on a cruise from New York to Bermuda. Our last day in Hamilton we sought out a customs office and our passports were stamped by a delightful gentleman, with whom we had a nice visit. We later learned if we had taken our passports to the purser's desk they could have had them stamped. But I wouldn't trade our visit in Hamilton for anything. <BR> <BR>I plan to go on stamping! <BR> <BR>J

I just got an extension!!! I just got an extension!!! <BR> <BR>I can't believe I've filled my first passport!!! I'm absolutely giddy, and knew the fellow stampers on the board would support me in my "acheivement"! (My husband, who also got an extension, is with "Jamie" above and thinks I'm quite silly for thinking this is exciting). <BR> <BR>I now have pages and pages of stamps to flip through - to me, there is NOTHING in the world that conjurs up the mystique and excitement of world travel than pages of overlapping, oddly shaped passport stamps from all over. <BR> <BR>(Another tip: go to Cambodia - not only will the ancient ruins in Angkor ABSOLUTELY AMAZE you, I guarantee it, but the visa and stamps are really interesting AND TAKE UP A FULL PAGE - gotta love that!!) <BR> <BR>My only concern is that the new insert is something like 30 pages - so I have my task cut out for me . . . but I sure am glad I begged and bothered for some of the stamps!

There IS one country (at least) where you can pay for a stamp--San Marino. And you not only get an inked stamp, you get a "stick-on" type. So colorful, compared to the normal type of stamp. And, though we were in San Marino only one day, it brings back special memories of that trip through Italy. It was well worth the 15 minutes it took out of my day.

You Guys are a bunch of losers!

Joanne-thanks for the information on arriving on the Eurostar-we will be doing that in July and I love to get my passport stamped too! I probably not have bothered had you not said that. <BR>Thanks!!! <BR>Patti

I didn't get mine stamped in Paris or Belgium when I was there last month. Too intimidated to ask, and now I regret it. I am glad to have gotten the stamp coming home from Amsterdam though!

Listen up all border patrol people! We Americans are very sentimental people and we want our stamps! :)

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

I am going to Hungary in a few weeks and I have a four hour lay over in Paris. Can anyone please tell me if I can get a stamp in a country where I just have a few hours lay over. Thank you in advance. Alice

I've been to Italy 12 times, no stamp, even after asking. I fly via paris which is my problem, I'd have better luck if I flew direct.

A group of us went to Prague and Budapest this past March. To get to Budapest, we traveled on a bus through Slovakia. All of us wanted our passports stamped. The officials took all the passports and we waited nearly an hour because of some red tape. We thought we were getting arrested. (Just kidding!) But...we got our stamps. My grandparents were born in Slovakia and I wanted that stamp! <BR>Also, we had a layover in Zurich on the way back. I got the customs person to stamp my passport after I asked. He was annoyed but he did it. <BR>I'm going to Italy (Florence/Venice) at the end of May and hope to add still one more stamp to the passport. <BR> <BR>Lee

For most of us, isn't a well-stamped passport kind of today's version of that travel-decal'ed luggage (mentioned above). The spouse and I were quite dejected to come home from a three country Europe trip last month - with almost no stamps. And no stamp from France on an earlier trip...It never occured to me to ask.....sigh. <BR> <BR>Here's a surprise, at least I found it so: Heard the other day that only 14 percent of Americans hold passports.

I have very few stamps in my passport. I haven't received a stamp from any country for a long time now. I just shrug my shoulders and say it is not important. What is important to me is that my passport picture still looks O.K.<BR>lynlor

If you ever go to Lichtenstein, you need to go to the Tourist Office to get your passport stamped, and they charge for it too -- about $1.

Hi<BR><BR>If you really want lots of exotic stamps - try this :<BR><BR>1)Cross Israel - Egypt Sinai border as a foot passenger<BR>2)Overstay Egyptian visa<BR>3)Cross Egypt - Israel Sinai border<BR>4)Repeat<BR><BR>or <BR><BR>visit, several countries in Far East or Middle East.<BR><BR>Strange thing is, in many cases: the smaller and less influential the country, the bigger the stamp.<BR><BR><BR>Peter<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com/<BR>

When I arrived in Edinburgh last year, they wanted to wave me thorough with no stamp. I asked if they would and they gladly obliged. Now, as it turns out, I have a real poignant stamp in my passport... one dated September 11, 2001. We arrived only a few hours before the tragedy occurred.

I think it's too bad they don't stamp everywhere anymore. I have a passport with about 6 Heathrow stamps because I have flown into Heathrow and taken trains from there. Also, for anyone going on long trips it's a good idea to get stamps because in many countries you can't stay more than 3 or 6 months without a visa. I f you only have one stamp from the very first stop on your trip it could be hard to show that you've only been in a certain country for less than 3/6 months.

I have not found anyone to stamp a passport when going from one Schengen nation to another. When we crossed from Austria to Germany and back again, no passport check. The same was true crossing from Austria to Italy and back, and to Finland. When we flew from Amsterdam to Z&uuml;rich, passport control consisted of an elderly gentleman waving us through with both hands.<BR><BR>When you first enter Europe, I suggest you ask for a passport stamp if one is not automatically made.<BR>Why? We have flown back from Munich the last two years and the border patrol officer who was checking passports looked for that stamp. I did not have one because I entered at CDG airport and the passport control officer did not bother with a stamp.<BR>I did not think anything about it.<BR><BR>When I was checked at the Munich airport, the German official wanted to know how I got into Europe. I told him I flew into Paris. He made some comment about the French and let me go.<BR>

I am also a bit of a stamp collector - I asked for my old passport back when I had it renewed earlier this year, as I didn't want to lose the stamps from countries I'd been to. <BR><BR>However, I do remember back in the distant past, before I had a passport, and we were on my parents', when my Dad had to 'lose' his passport, as we'd been in South Africa to visit family, and in the days of apartheid, it was difficult to get into other countries with a South African stamp in your passport. Does anyone know if this is still the case with any other countries?