Alec

Britain requires all those without the right of abode (all except British citizens, certain Commonwealth citizens) and non-EU/EEA citizens to obtain a leave to enter. This effectively means getting their passports stamped at the port of entry (or at relevant points for Eurostar/Eurotunnel). The stamp is important as it proves the holder's entitlement to stay in UK and any conditions attached (such as no employment). If you already hold a long-term leave (such as study, work, settlement), you still get a stamp but it merely endorses the permission already obtained. Visitor's leave to enter (6 months) is valid until the holder leaves UK. On re-entering they need to get a fresh leave.

You can see all the examples of UK immigration stamps at http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind....textonly.html

P_M

rkkwan, my bet is they will stamp it. I'm leaving for the UK on Saturday, maybe we'll bump into each other over there.

xyz123

BTW...

Until about 1997, the British immigratin officers used to be very meticulous in stamping passports when you left the UK...that requirement was dropped around then. Also you used to have to fill out a yellow card similar to the landing card (de-landing card?) they still require.

hollaplez

Thank you ALEC! Someone with some knowledge.

Your passport is stamped at every port of entry(including via ferry) unless you have a certificate of entitlement or are an EU/EEA national.

xyz123

One other exception to the stamping of passport at UK ports of entry...on a group tour returning to the UK via ferry at Dover, we all got on the bus while on the ferry and the UK immigration officers did not come on the bus to check the passports. It seems the touring company faxes the passport numbers to British immigration before arrival; that was the only time I did not have my passport stamped upon entering the UK.

rkkwan

Just got back from Bristol. So, you guys are correct. I got a stamp in my passport. In fact, I also got one at Newark from Homeland Security coming back. So, after having only 3 stamps in my passport for 5 years, suddenly I have 5...

BTW, Bristol (BRS) is an interesting tiny airport. Built on a ridge, single runway is not flat. Single terminal building with no jetway. Haven't climbed stairs on/off a planen for a while.

P_M

Hello, all. I just returned yesterday from the UK and they did stamp my passport upon entry at LGW, and they did it without a request from me. The last time I came back through IAH I requested a stamp and they gave it to me. This time I didn't, so no stamp from IAH.

mcjansky

hello there b,

i have recently travelled via dover and calais (ports of the UK and France respectively). The funny thing is that they have now turned it around. the french immigration is on the UK side before you leave and the UK immigration is in calais which is in France. it was funny as the uk immigration stamp i got says calais so there you go.
we went to get the ferry, it was around midnight and the french authorities did not check us because the booths that look like tollgates (in the Canada, I'm Canadian!) were closed so we just drove through.
On our way back to the UK, we had to stop and get off in to a small building and had to line up to get our passports stamped and even british passports were now swiped! it took me 5 minutes to get through and received and nice fresh stamp.

p.s. another thing, when driving via ports remember when you get to France you drive on the right and vice versa.

Neopolitan

I've flown into Heathrow a lot and Gatwick once or twice and they ALWAYS stamp my passport, just as they ALWAYS do as I re enter the US. But traveling by ferry or train from other places in Europe is quite a different thing. I agree that you may have to search someone out and ask them to do it.

Robespierre

Actully, having immigration control at the point of embarkation isn't funny - it makes perfect sense from the point of view of queuing theory.

At the destination, all the travelers arrive at the same time, when the ship or plane comes in. So the facilities have to accommodate significant peaks in traffic. At the departure station, traffic arrives spread out over a long time, perhaps a matter of an hour or two, so the staffing and facilities there can be operated much more efficiently.

xyz123

This is relatively new....about 2 years it's been done...it is also done that way when you take eurostar....there are French passport controls at Waterloo and UK passport controls at Gare du nord....the British control used to be at Waterloo upon arrival and the French used to hardly care less but I guess in this age of you know what, all that has changed.

Alec

Another advantage of checking passport prior to embarkation for the destination country is that anyone with inadequate documentation or iffy intention will be stopped before actually travelling, thereby eliminating the need and cost for detention, remand and possible deportation. Also the carriers (Eurostar, Eurotunnel and ferry companies) will avoid being penalised for carrying ineligible passengers.
This pre-crossing immigration formalities were introduced primarily to cut down on illegal immigrants and bogus asylum seekers reaching the British shores, as well as speeding up travel time. It needed a good deal of billateral negotiations between UK and France, as details had to be agreed about the precise role and power of immigration service in each other's sovereign territory. Customs check (for contraband etc) is still carried out after arrival in Dover, except for Eurotunnel which takes place in Calais-Coquelles.

ilovetotravel29

No, i don't think so. I think they will stamp it. When I went from paris to london and back again, they stamped my passport...once when I traveled on plane, and another when i traveled via railway.

I am not sure about the ferry, but I think that if you are coming from one country to another, they would stamp the passport.

But isn't that one of the fun things about travel? Your passport tells the history of all the places you have gone internationally.

P_M

Neopolitan, I'm surprised to learn that they always stamp your passport when you return to the US. I typically enter through Houston or Dallas and they never stamp it at those airports. However yesterday I arrived into Chicago from London and I was very surprised when they stamped it. Maybe it depends on which airport you use.