Gf Returns From Uk Visit -

[doctormann]

OK, we used the UK VV and had no problems getting through UK Immigration at Newcastle. She was duly stamped in. We had the 3-week holiday, as planned, and have now returned to LoS. Her thoughts about the UK are a bit mixed - good in parts is the opinion.

Anyway, looking in her passport, she has no UK exit stamp and I believe that this is normal procedure - which is why there are more than a few overstayers in UK but no-one knows how many.

It seems to me that, as getting the visa was far from trivial in the first place, some-one in UK Immigration should be aware that she has actually returned. The Thai authorities may well know as she had to fill out a landing card but I don't suppose that this info. will ever be passed on. Proof of return would surely be useful when it comes to getting the next visa.

Any thoughts anyone?

DM

[the scouser]

DM,

Your g/f should have a Thai entry stamp in her passport which, in the event of a subsequent application, will indicate to the visa officer when she left the UK.

Scouse.

[GU22]

Unless she signed an undertaking to return when she was given the visa and was told to inform the embassy of her return, she does not need to inform anyone. If she applies for another visa in the future, the Thai entry stamp in her passport will give a good indication of when she left the UK.

I agree, abolishing passport controls on leaving the UK was a very stupid thing to do.

Scouse got there first (again).

Edited May 25, 2006 by GU22

[LaoPo]

I'm not sure about the UK, but on the (EU) continent it's absolutely necessary to have a stamp that she (anyone) left the country; obviously someone made a mistake.

If I were you (to avoid any problems in the future) I would inform the British Embassy/BKK (copy to the Immigration people in UK) by sending them a registered letter with copies of the papers (landing card etc.), that she indeed left the UK and landed in Thailand.

Note:

Many years ago, after doing business in BKK and on the way to HK I was taken at the passport-check by 4 Airport Military-guys and questioned for 2 1/2 hours and I tell you I was scared to death by the nasty looks of them and I had NO IDEA what was going on ...the first thing what comes to mind is.....somebody has put something in my luggage (which was checked in already....)

I had to prove by all kinds of businesspapers, hotelbills etc. how long I had been in the country (a week or so).

I still didn't have any clue but it turned out I DID NOT HAVE an ENTRY-stamp in my passport. and they told me that I was responsible for that......

So: always check your passport after receiving it back from the counter.

LaoPo

[GU22]

I'm not sure about the UK, but on the (EU) continent it's absolutely necessary to have a stamp that she (anyone) left the country; obviously someone made a mistake.

There are no passport or immigration checks on persons leaving the UK, they were abolished some time ago as a cost cutting measure. There may be occasional random checks, though. Even then no exit stamp will be placed in the passport of someone leaving the UK.

Thousands of visa nationals leave the UK every day without having an exit stamp placed in their passport and many later apply for another visa without any problems because of this.

If I were you (to avoid any problems in the future) I would inform the British Embassy/BKK (copy to the Immigration people in UK) by sending them a registered letter with copies of the papers (landing card etc.), that she indeed left the UK and landed in Thailand.

Complete and utter waste of time.

DM, the next time she applies for a visa the ECO will assume that she abided by the conditions of the previous one; unless s/he has reasons to think otherwise. Lack of a UK exit stamp will not arouse suspicion because, as said before, nobody leaving the UK has an exit stamp placed in their passport.

Very rarely, if the ECO has some doubt about an applicant, but not enough to refuse, then they may make the applicant sign an undertaking to return before issuing the visa. Even then, it is even rarer for a person to have to report back to the embassy on their return, as the Thai entry stamp will show when they arrived back in Thailand and ergo when they left the UK.

LaoPo, you unfortunate experience is not relevant here because you were leaving the country without an entry stamp, so Thai immigration would have been concerned about how you had entered the Kingdom. However, the advice to check your passport when handed back to you at any immigration counter is sound.

[LaoPo]

I'm not sure about the UK, but on the (EU) continent it's absolutely necessary to have a stamp that she (anyone) left the country; obviously someone made a mistake.

There are no passport or immigration checks on persons leaving the UK, they were abolished some time ago as a cost cutting measure. There may be occasional random checks, though. Even then no exit stamp will be placed in the passport of someone leaving the UK.

Thousands of visa nationals leave the UK every day without having an exit stamp placed in their passport and many later apply for another visa without any problems because of this.

If I were you (to avoid any problems in the future) I would inform the British Embassy/BKK (copy to the Immigration people in UK) by sending them a registered letter with copies of the papers (landing card etc.), that she indeed left the UK and landed in Thailand.

Complete and utter waste of time.

DM, the next time she applies for a visa the ECO will assume that she abided by the conditions of the previous one; unless s/he has reasons to think otherwise. Lack of a UK exit stamp will not arouse suspicion because, as said before, nobody leaving the UK has an exit stamp placed in their passport.

Very rarely, if the ECO has some doubt about an applicant, but not enough to refuse, then they may make the applicant sign an undertaking to return before issuing the visa. Even then, it is even rarer for a person to have to report back to the embassy on their return, as the Thai entry stamp will show when they arrived back in Thailand and ergo when they left the UK.

LaoPo, you unfortunate experience is not relevant here because you were leaving the country without an entry stamp, so Thai immigration would have been concerned about how you had entered the Kingdom. However, the advice to check your passport when handed back to you at any immigration counter is sound.

So, you're saying that there are NO passportchecks anymore if you ENTER the airport (for outside EU/non-western countries) and thus they don't give people, leaving the UK a 'leave-stamp' ?

That's silly and not common use in Europe (outside the UK); no wonder so many illegal people in the UK

People on the continent receive a card from the foreign police/immigration department upon entrance; when they leave, the card is stamped and sent back to FP/Immigration.

Better control who's coming in and leaving. In cases they don't leave, the address will be checked where they stayed (and the person who was sponsor will be questioned).

LaoPo

[the scouser]

LaoPo,

In the UK, foreign nationals are stamped in, but not stamped out.

Scouse.

[phusingpete]

LaoPo,

In the UK, foreign nationals are stamped in, but not stamped out.

Scouse.

I have always found this fact to be increidble. With all the furore about illegal immigrants and asylum seekers we simply do not know when or even if foreign nationals have left the country.Not only is this stupid it is irresponsible.

A few years back I did my usual visa run to Cambodia only to find the border shut due to some animosity between Cambodian's and Thai's.As I was due to make a trip to Australia I decided to make it there and then. By the time I got to Bangkok and arranged flights I had overstayed by two days.On showing my passport at departures I was taken to an office where some 4-5 officers were very excited by my passport.A bit over the top thought I.Then a woman pointed out my last re-entry stamp which said November instead of December.I pointed out that the Cambodian entry and exit stamp said Dec,which was correct.The woman went off with my passport for about 10 minutes then returned with a printout detailing all my entries and exits from Thailand.This thankfully cleared up the mistake.

If the Thai's can keep such records why can't the UK? And do always CHECK YOUR VISA STAMP..

[Explorer]

In Europe I never get a stamp it or a stamp out at the airport although i hold an asian passport.

Explorer

[samran]

In Europe I never get a stamp it or a stamp out at the airport although i hold an asian passport.

Explorer

Yeah, the Europeans are a bit hit and miss with their stamping for non-europeans. The swiss never stamp in or out. The Frenchies when they can be bothered turning up for work, the Germans seem to be there when departing on international flights from Frankfurt.

[SamuiRes]

I had the same concerns when we left the UK the last time and asked as we left if we could get a departure stamp in my wife's passort and was told quite clearly that this was not possible. We have just applied for another visa for this year and the issue of departure was never brought up and the visa was issued without any problem

[GU22]

So, you're saying that there are NO passportchecks anymore if you ENTER the airport (for outside EU/non-western countries) and thus they don't give people, leaving the UK a 'leave-stamp' ?

The only time the passport of someone leaving the UK will be checked is by the airline when checking in. They, of course, are not interested in whether the passenger has overstayed in the UK, only that they can legally enter the country that they are travelling to.

People on the continent receive a card from the foreign police/immigration department upon entrance; when they leave, the card is stamped and sent back to FP/Immigration.

Better control who's coming in and leaving. In cases they don't leave, the address will be checked where they stayed (and the person who was sponsor will be questioned).

Are you sure? Never heard of any one doing this. Indeed, having taken a ferry to Calais and then driven through France into Spain and back I don't recall seeing a single Immigration Officer or showing passports to anyone until we got off the boat at Dover!

[cleverD]

Just had two trips to Europe from the Uk with my GF,Eurostar into Paris the French immigration stamped the passport at Waterloo for entry and was stamped out at Paris before going through British immigration which is also in Paris where they checked all and asked quite a few totally irrelavent questions before waving her through.

Just returned yesterday from Spain where a landing card had to be filled in which also had a departure section which was collected on leaving.Her passport was stamped on all occasions and the Schengen visa was always scrutinised.

[LaoPo]

In Europe I never get a stamp it or a stamp out at the airport although i hold an asian passport.

Explorer

I'm curious whith what kind of Visa you are travelling INTO Europe and what passport?

To answer some of the quetions above:

The EU-countries are supposed to follow the same rules (stamping: entering/leaving) but there are many loopholes in the border-systems.

The point is, that IF you have any problems with the police or an accident for instance one can be in trouble of not having the right papers/visa and/or stamps.

Of course people do not leave in time and stay (thus: illegal) and that's the problem with the western countries in Europe but also North America (USA?Canada).

Illegals could be picked up easily by checking more frequently markets, trainstations, roadcontrols and other busy areas but doing so is still a controversial thing in many countries because of 'discrimination'.....

LaoPo

Edited May 26, 2006 by LaoPo

[Explorer]

In Europe I never get a stamp it or a stamp out at the airport although i hold an asian passport.

Explorer

I'm curious whith what kind of Visa you are travelling INTO Europe and what passport?

LaoPo

Malaysian passport with NO visa

Explorer

[Jockstar]

The same happpened to the wife when we left the uk. We were supposed to be on a later flight but they rushed us through to get on the earlier one. So i had thought they had forgot to stamp her passport. Wasnt too worried as she has a stamp into Thailand. But its nice to know that its the done thing. She will be happy.(she was a bit worried)