Passport stamping leaving France

[KAM]

What's the best ploy for getting a passport stamped if you're not sure when you will leave or where you will leave from. What happens if you leave without. Can it be done retrospectively in some way if you suddenly decide you want to head off from an anchorage.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

If you don't get it stamped you will be treated as an overstayer next time you try to enter France and possibly any Shengan country penalties could be a fine and refused entry.

 

[Sandy]

Trundle up to the office at the port of entry and have a conversation with the official who will stamp your passport. You might be surprised how accommodating they are.

If you leave without a stamp you will be questioned on why you don't have an exit stamp on your next return - I know I was when I returned to France to get stamped out as I was unable to stamp out of Spain - thank goodness for cheap Brittany Ferries deals (I had 40 days on the clock and thankfully the French officials English was excellent as I have very poor French). A colleague was fined €500 on entering the Netherlands for not having an exit stamp! If on your return they calculate that have over 90 days on the clock you may be refused entry and your passport marked.

A marked passport is always given VERY close scrutiny at every border crossing. You run the risk of being barred from the Schengen area for life and may be refused entry to other countries, the USA in particular.

I had a long chat with a Border Force officer a few weeks ago and am in the process of getting my sailing club to organise a winter talk from them. A really interesting and helpful chap, gave me all sort of information about sailing out of the UK and back. It might be worth contacting your local Border Force office and seeing if the do talks.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

What @Fr J Hackett said .... your Schengen clock will be ticking if you stamped in, and it won't stop when you leave if you don't stamp out. Had my U.K. passport checked by passport control in Munich and they noticed I had no check in stamp - I was trying to leave. Got out of it due to dual citizenship, so if you don't have dual citizenship then the question is "Do you feel lucky?"

 

[KAM]

I'm lucky but I'll just have to leave my UK passport holder wife behind then.

 

[ean_p]

or alternatively while the 'stamp' is still the proof, deface your wife's current passport and apply for a replacement for £80 or so.......turnaround about two weeks !