# Passport stamp on re-entry?



## jweihl

I've been seeing articles lately cautioning UK citizens that have residency in France (or other EU countries), that since brexit many are erroneously having their passports stamped on re-entry, and that that could inadvertently set the clock ticking on their entry into the Schengen zone and cause potential problems visiting Schengen countries to which they are not resident. Does this article only affect UK citizens, or is it generally applicable to all non-EU citizens with French residency? 

Do passport control officers stamp (or not) the passports of returning (non-EU) residents?

I know that when I arrived in France on my long-stay visa/titre de séjour, passport control did stamp my passport, which I took as proof that I officially began begin resident here. Should I be concerned when I return from my upcoming trip to the US if they do (or don't) stamp my passport? I'm still here under my 1 year visa and have not yet received my (but I have been approved for) my carte de séjour for year 2.

Merci!


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## BoilingFrog

I didn't quite follow your status, are you travelling on a UK passport? If so am in probably a similar situation, I have a one year French visa (through marriage to my French wife). These visas allow unlimited stay in France for the year (and as you say if you want to stay longer you apply for the CdS). They also allow multi entry in and out of France, which if you do from a non EU country means you will get a stamp in your passport. 
However, when travelling within the Schengen zone your passport will not be stamped as there is free travel within that zone. I think that 'technically' if your last stamp date was your entry date into France and for some reason your passport was checked 3 months after this date when you were in other Schengen country there could be an issue that you couldn't prove you hadn't exceeded the 90 day rule in said Schengen country, but I don't see when this would come up. 
If you had to I suppose you could produce travel tickets, or possibly petrol station receipts if you drove across a border. I think in practice though the 90 day limit in 180 in other Schengen countries becomes unenforceable as you could have legitimately entered another schengen country at any time and may have no proof of the exact date. All this being said, if you really think it might be an issue, I believe you can request that your passport be stamped at whatever border you are crossing to set a definitive start date for your visit.

And with regards to your question on returning from the US, the passport will get a stamp, but if it doesn't for any reason, ask that it does.


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## saffron_gin

Think it will fall under gray zone - if you are ever asked for passport details as proof for 90/180 in a country other than France, your TDS and explanation should suffice...I think the chances of your passport being checked is likely only when you fly out of an airport outside of France to outside schengen Zone, not whilst traveling within.
Or you get caught up in some brouhaha lol.

Also I can't believe you got confirmation/acceptance in 4 days ! It is giving all of us (well, me) mild anxiety having filed mine ten days ago...and nothing other than confirmation of filing. Obviously other Prefectures work with different mileages of course...still...getting the renewal must be such a relief.


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## jweihl

I guess I was not clear. I'll be traveling with a US passport containing a 1 year visa/titre de séjour. Simplified, my question is: If you're resident (non-EU) in France should your passport be stamped when you reenter the France from outside Schengen? Or was the article in the Local somehow peculiar to Brits resident in France?


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## BoilingFrog

Any time a non-EU passport holder enters or leaves the EU or Schengen they should get a stamp as far as I am aware.


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## Peasant

Even if they don't stamp your passport they still keep an electronic record of entry.


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## jweihl

This was the article I referenced. I'm still mildly confused, but not overly fussed.








Brexit: EU asks border police not to stamp passports of British residents


The European Commission has asked border police from member states across the bloc not to stamp the passports of those British nationals protected by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.




www.thelocal.fr


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## BoilingFrog

Ah, I was not in France pre-Brexit, so your status may be different to mine if you were. In theory France is right, but how passport officers are supposed to differentiate between pre and post brexit residents I am not sure. It may be indicated in the visa page, but be too small a detail for all countries officers to have a grasp of. As well as my French visa I also have a Norwegian residents permit (work permit) as I work there on rotation. In theory I believe that should give the same entitlement not to be stamped as I am also exercising my preBrexit rights (i've worked there since 2001). However, i get my passport stamped crossing the EU/EEA border regardless.


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## Bevdeforges

What I suspect this is all about is more to remind folks to present both their passport (UK passport) and their carte de séjour when entering France if they are resident here and it's the presentation of the carte de séjour that should signal to the immigration officer NOT to stamp the "Schengen visa" into their passport. It didn't used to be that way - my old US passport has entry stamps from every time I visited back in the US and should probably have exit stamps, too - at least up until I got my French passport, when I started using that on leaving the country.


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## ToulouseRob

A UK passport can be stamped on entry/departure to the Schengen area even if there is a withdrawal agreement residence card (Titre de séjour in France) to go with it. The UK gov insists that when you present your passport you should pro-actively present the residence card as well. But even if the passport is stamped they say it has no legal effect and can be safely ignored. (They say).

I recently came back to France after entering the Schengen area from Mexico via Lisbon. I was guided through the queues labelled "EU passports only" (even though it was clear I have a British passport) and the immigration officer did the usual - electronic scan, brief look at the TdS, no stamp and on to the next passenger. I've also come back into France from the UK this year and when they saw the TdS (even at arms length) I was just waved through.

Obviously this does not apply to third country nationals, or visitors from the UK who don't have WA TdS.

*Edit to add*: There was no stamp when I left either. One look at the TdS and I was waved through, in Toulouse and Lisbon on the way out.

*Edited again* to correct the first line!

Here's a (PDF) from the EU: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/def...g_the_schengen_area_for_publication_v2_en.pdf

and summary from the UK Gov:


> You must proactively show your residence document, or other evidence of residence status, if you are asked to show your passport at border control. If you have applied for, but not yet received, your WARP, show your certificate of application, which you should have received by email. If you cannot prove that you are a resident in France, you may be asked additional questions at the border to enter the EU.
> 
> Your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. This will not affect your rights in the country or countries where you live or work. If a passport is stamped, the stamp is considered null and void when you can show evidence of lawful residence.


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## Crabtree

The article quoted relates only to UK passport holders and EU residents who have a Brexit Withdrawal Agreement residency card.ie they were resident in an EU country pre Brexit and fulfilled the requirements to be issued with a special status residency card and are therefore not subject to rules relating to stamping of passports for UK passport holders who now enter France.


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## ToulouseRob

Crabtree said:


> The article quoted relates only to UK passport holders and EU residents who have a Brexit Withdrawal Agreement residency card.ie they were resident in an EU country pre Brexit and fulfilled the requirements to be issued with a special status residency card and are therefore not subject to rules relating to stamping of passports for UK passport holders who now enter France.


Which was the context outlined in the original post?


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