Funran

Hey am in Frankfurt now but I didn’t get stamp on my passport,so it will be problem to get out ? Thanks

rickg523

I always heard the Schengen in bound stamp was supposed to be checked when you get the outbound stamp. I'm not sure it's true because...
I think maybe once in twenty or thirty trips has anyone even looked for it. But then again, maybe that check is done on their computers. That would make sense and eliminate the need for the stamps.
Maybe only twice or three times have the stamps even ended up on the same page.
Because it seems so pro forma, I hardly pay attention to the whole process.
I now am going to paw through my passport and see if every entrance and exit to Schengen is matched up

Funran

So it’s mean I can out without problems?

greggarious

It shouldn't be an issue going out, though it may be on your next trip in. IIRC there is no passport check to leave the EU just a check on arriving in the next country.

lhrsfo

I cannot specifically recall but I'm pretty sure there's always a passport check leaving Schengen (but not the EU - for example the UK has no outbound passport check because they get the data from APIS). As to Schengen, I have recently left from OSL, FRA, MUC, GVA, ARN, DUS and CPH and, on every occasion, the flight departed from a section of the airport which you could only access through passport control. Flights within Schengen had no such checks.

WorldLux

There's always a check when leaving/entering Schengen. The UK doesn't do exit immigration but they aren't in Schengen.

etch5895

You may not have gotten a stamp but the immigration officer certainly scanned your passport when you entered. There is definitely a record of you entering so I would be surprised if you encountered any difficulties leaving. That said, it is sloppy for them to not stamp your passport. Did you enter Schengen in Frankfurt?

eigenvector

There is no unified electronic system for recording arrivals and departures from Schengen so depending on which country one departs from it is entirely possible that there will be no record of arrival if the entry stamp was overlooked. That being said, it is unlikely to cause any difficulties at exit as it happens all the time (FCO is notorious for failing to stamp).

henhen

you'll be likely fine as mentioned above, electronic records are kept when you enter the Schengen region.

My last handful of Schengen exits, the border control agents were very adamant and meticulously went thru my passport trying to find the one stamp that matched the entrance date. Would take quite a few passes sometimes with all the similar color/shaped stamps I've got in there.

pauq

Some airports in the Schengen area even have those e-gates for certain non-Schengen nationalities so lack of inbound stamps cannot be considered a problem.

GUWonder

I am 100% certain that no definitive, wholly accurate electronic record of my entering and exiting the Schengen zone exists even for just my common carrier flights using only US passports within even just the past 12 months.

Whether or not my US passports should be stamped or not by Schengen passport control still varies a lot in practice. Some Schengen countries routinely skip stamping my US passports at Schengen passport control while other Schengen countries routinely stamp my US passports despite my presentation of the same international travel docs.

der_saeufer

Generally speaking, only EU/EEA nationals can use them, which makes sense because EU free movement rights and Schengen abolition of border controls are two different issues. An Irishman can use the e-gates in Brussels because it's impossible for him to "overstay" in a country where he has the right to live. Non-EU/EEA nationals generally can't use the gates. The only exception that comes to mind is the automated exit gates at AMS, but US, Canadian, etc. citizens get a stamp from an airport staffer after clearing the automated gate.

Article 11 of the Schengen Borders Code requires signatory countries to stamp the passports of non-EU nationals: "The travel documents of third-country nationals shall be systematically stamped on entry and exit." If you don't have a residence permit, in theory you should always get a stamp. Not all countries follow the rules (ink costs money?), but most do because their border guards are the same people paging through your passport making sure you didn't overstay--and the database (SIS) functions mainly for authorities to flag violators, not to record entries and exits.

The OP will most likely be fine, but if s/he spends a lot of time in Europe, it wouldn't be a bad idea to hang onto an e-mail copy of the itinerary just in case "the man" gets the idea that s/he may have overstayed.

pauq

Yes, you're right. I had the wrong recollection that those e-gates were available at some airports (like AMS and LIS) for some countries like US and Canada when arriving and that there were no stamps involved, but it's only for exiting as you said. Maybe if passport cards ever become the norm.

dulciusexasperis

Hello! How on earth can anyone have any idea of what to say to the OP with the information provided?

You need to know at least on what country's passort the OP entered and how long he actually intends to stay. I can think of various situations under which there could be a problem when exiting if the OP takes the apparently general consensus given above that there won't be a problem. Any comments suggesting that the OP will 'likely be fine' etc. are based purely on assumptions and may lead the OP to making a serious mistake.

Schengen exit rules put the onus on the traveller to prove if asked, that they did not overstay their welcome which is generally 90 days total in any 180 calendar day period. In other words, you are guilty until you can prove your innnocence. They don't have to prove you have overstayed, you have to prove you have not! Without entry stamps each time you enter and each time you leave, that can become quite difficult to prove.

I prefer not to assume anything about the OP and his/her particular situation. The OP needs to provide more information before any advice is given. On other travel forums it is quite common for people to ask questions about Schengen with the intent of trying to get around the '90 in 180 rule' for whatever reason. Often such questions are asked with a deliberate lack of all information needed and that raises an immediate Red Flag on those other forums. In this case the OP may be asking an entirely innocent question but making that assumption may still get the OP into trouble.

I have no idea if the OP will be 'ok' when leaving or not based on the information provided so far.

Redhead

I've entered Schengen several times where they haven't even opened my passport to look at the picture, just getting waived thru. If you have a US passport, it is highly unlikely you'll have any issues. A passport from a country that is more known for over-stayers, your experience may vary, but I still doubt you'll have an issue leaving