Joppa

Returned to Malaga from UK today. We were bussed to a vast passport control hall (never seen before) with snaking queues for British and other non-EU, and much shorter line for EU citizens. I produced my passport and TIE, and after looking at them for a few seconds, they were handed back and I was allowed to go through, no stamping. Luggage was already on the carousel and they no longer separate UK flights to go through the glass-fronted customs inspection area.

bobd22

Thanks for the update hopefully same for me re stamping as for lengthy queue I accept now no reason to be treated any different to other 3rd country Nationals thanks to brexit.

dearleuk

Got it

Thanks and good luck to you

Fredbargate

I have every faith in passport stamps

DLC

On my way out with Spanish family, we were directed to the comunitarios queue. As the border guard seemed to not to be in a bad mood I asked him, "how does this work, if I'm with my Spanish family do I go to comunitarios with them and if I'm travelling alone do I go to all passports?", he said that as I'm a resident I go to comunitarios and don't get a stamp.

On the way back in we were directed to a family queue which was for all nationalities (Spanish and British) and I didn't get a stamp, but non-resident Britons did.

So everything seemed as it should be, but as usual this will vary depending on airport, whoever's telling people which queue to go in, and what side of bed the border guard got out of that morning.

When British family visited three months back they were sampled in and out. They weren't stamped out of Italy a month before that but it wasn't a problem when entering Spain, it wasn't even remarked upon.

Anyway, the question of passport stamps should be academic by this time next year. Queues, maybe not.

bobd22

Thanks again for the information

UKMS

I don’t think anyone has ever suggested that data is added or removed to the biometric chip on a passport. The scan of a passport in Spain will show your entry and exits relating to Spain and potentially other data.I think you underestimate the backend databases and intelligence that countries hold and the collaboration that exists between some countries regardless of Brexit. As soon as you check-in for a flight the destination country knows you are heading that way. Whether they choose to access that information is another matter. From all the posts on this thread its clear that practices of ‘stamping’ differ across the EU, therefore making it of limited value. As sure as eggs are eggs if the authorities wanted to prove an overstay and fine you they wouldn’t simply be relying on stamps in a passport (or lack of) to prove it. Globally ‘stamps’ are now old school (even though still done) if for no other reason than its incredibly easy to forge a stamp.

bobd22

I don't disagree with any of what you say. Point is though the information will not come from the passport chip it will come from the fact that Spain has logged the scan on a database both in and out if they use that. It's easy to look up what information is recorded on the biometric passport chip it's on the UK government site. I do not underestimate cross referral of information at all or that no doubt a passport stamp can be forged. That I would think would be extreme just to lengthen ones stay in Schengen zone but yes possible.

Notdunroamin

Better hope your passports chip doesn't fail, they can!

UKMS

of course they can, the same as someone can lose their passport, or damage it…… Im not sure what that has to do with anything ….. your travel history isn’t recorded on your passport chip.

Much the same as what happens if someone has 2 UK passports ? …. One with stamps in the other with no stamps….. you are still tracked…. Like it or not stamps serve little to no purpose beyond a superficial reference.

bobd22

I think it's more than superficial reference when ETIAS comes in stamps will be redundant at the moment they are the prescribed means of reference for border officials. The point you make re chips not a means of recording travel is the point I was making its a read information only chip.

UKMS

completely agree about the chip … I’ve never said otherwise.

Even now (pre ETIAS) I can enter on one UK passport and leave on another and I’m pretty sure if I’d overstayed they would still pick me up from the back end system regardless of stamps.

Lou71

This gives more in depth detail about how ETIAS and EES will work:

https://etias.com/articles/how-does-...;s%20itinerary.

Remember, ETIAS and EES are only applicable to third country nationals, not EU nationals or EU residents.

UKMS

You’ll still be tracked though regardless of whether or not you queue with the riff raff 😁

bobd22

I would think you are right that you would be picked up because I guess there are numerous databases logging our movements as we travel. My point though is irrespective of stamps being low tech and old fashioned. If someone's passport has been stamped into the Schengen zone and on leaving it is showing an overstay it is extremely likely if not certain that the border official will instigate an investigation. It may he that investigation is simply questions by the official and suitable answers satisfy them or it may be more in depth.