getting passport stamped for a schengen visit

[alan and oscar]

We recently secured a schengen visa for my non-EC civil partner from the spanish embassy for 2 months and we used it once to go on holiday to gran canaria. However, I read elsewhere on this forum that we could get into trouble if we cannot prove we used it to go to spain. When we arrived it was late and there was no one there to check passports so there is no stamp in his passport. Will any other proof that we went (air tickets etc) suffice do you think?

We have 10 days left on the visa and I would consider him going to Spain for a weekend to use it if necessary, before it expires. If so, should he actively seek out a Spanish immigration officer on arrival to stamp it?

Thanks for any help.

[John]

This reminds me of 2003 and our trip to Lanzarote! There was a passport officer on duty on arrival and needless to say he was just waving British/EEA passport holders through. Seeing the Thai passports of my wife and step-daughter caused him to wake up!

He disappeared from his post for about 5 minutes ... leaving new arrivals simply to walk through with no problem. When he returned he had a rubber stamp with him, which he duly applied to the Schengen visas in the passports.

But on leaving absolutely no passport officer on duty ... so officially I guess my wife and step-daughter arrives on Lanzarote and never left!

But you were neither stamped in nor stamped out. Do you have other proof that you made the trip? Air tickets, or anything? If so just carry those with you. I would not expect you to encounter a problem.

[alan and oscar]

Thanks John,

Have just (to my relief) managed to find Oscar's boarding card for the flight to spain, in addition to lots of email copies of flight bookings with his name on. He also used his debit card in Spain which can be proved. So we should be OK I think.

But certainly something to watch out for.

[Dawie]

I have just come back from a trip to Barcelona this weekend. My passport was checked and stamped on entering Barcelona airport, however the British Airways flight I was on from Barcelona to London Heathrow departed from the Schengen/Domestic part of the terminal and not the international part as it should and there were absolutely no embarkation checks done at all to any passengers leaving Spain for the UK.

This happens to me all the time when I go to Spain. I have a whole range of entry stamps for Spain and almost no exit stamps. I don't think you will have any trouble at the Spanish embassy as they must deal with this issue a lot.

[alan and oscar]

Many thanks for the reply, Dawie. Although we don't have an entry or exit stamp, it is too late to worry now and we have enough proof of oscar's visit for me not to be too worried.