Holidaymakers are being warned over a passport mistake that could land you with a fine or a possible ban from Europe.
British passport-holders have been caught in travel chaos at airports in recent months, with many facing huge queues to enter and exit different holiday destinations under post-Brexit travel rules.
Since the UK left the EU at the end of 2020, UK citizens visiting the EU and the Schengen zone covering most of the EU (but not Ireland) face restrictions on the number of days they are allowed to stay there, Wales Online reports.
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UK citizens can visit Schengen nations, including nations like Spain, France and Portugal, for a maximum of three months out of six without having to apply for a visa.
This restriction means they are only allowed to spend 90 out of every 180 in the popular holiday hotspots. Passports should be stamped when entering and leaving Schengen countries until the introduction of the bloc's automated entry system, which should have been effective from last month but is facing delays.
A passport stamp should prevent travellers from being delayed by officials when trying to leave. If there is no record of entry a person could be accused of overstaying and face possible penalties.
Passports should always be stamped
Many of the horrendous queues faced by holidaymakers have been caused by the regulations requiring UK citizens to have their travel documents and stamped by border guards and police. Popular destinations like Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus are all in the Schengen area.
An entry stamp will display when a passenger arrives in the Schengen zone, while the exit stamp will confirm a departure date. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit."
Anyone found to be overstaying can be fined and face with stricter border checks next time they try to enter the Schengen area. They can even be banned from entry, although that punishment is usually only for extreme overstayers.
What to do if a passport is not stamped
If a traveller is suspected of overstaying and there is no evidence of a passport stamp, there are ways of proving rules had not been broken. It's important to keep a digital record of any travel documents, such as boarding cards, tickets and even the dreaded passenger locator forms, as a record of the time spent in the Schengen zone.
The UK Foreign Office added: "You can show evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area, and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport. Examples of acceptable evidence include boarding passes and tickets."
What about e-gates?
There are e-gates at three Portuguese airports that UK Passport holders can use. They are separate from the EU e-gates used by EU passport holders. These are available at Lisbon, Faro or Funchal (Madeira) airports.
These will digitally record when a passenger entered and exited the country and there are calls for a similar system to be installed at busy airports in other parts of the Schengen zone. It is still possible to request a manual stamp as extra insurance.
The UK Foreign Office advised: "On arrival or departure, check you are eligible to use the e-gates and that you are in the right queue. When using an e-gate, your entry/exit is recorded on the computer system.
"A border officer may also stamp your passport after you have passed through the e-gate; this is for airport operational reasons. If you use a manned booth, check that your passport is stamped by the border officer when you enter or exit as a visitor."
Introduction of automated entry system
The EU's new automated system (EES) should have become fully functional in May, but it is not yet completely in operation. When up-and-running, it will register entry and exit data and refusal of entry data to any non-EU nationals - meaning passport stamping will eventually not be necessary.
The European Commission’s Migration and Home Affairs notes: “EES will replace the current system of manual stamping of passports, which is time-consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings and does not allow a systematic detection of over-stayers (travellers who have exceeded the maximum duration of their authorised stay).”
By the end of this year, UK citizens will also need an online travel authorisation to travel to Schengen nations, known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). These will cost €7 and will be valid for three years at first, or until the traveller’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
