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Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:51 pm
by Caliburgh1234
I have everything in place for citizenship - I’ve had ILR for a couple of years now but want to get citizenship sorted.

My only issue is that the application requires you to have passport stamps that correspond to all the times you have left the UK. However for my last few short trips within the EU, there have only been eGates, and so I didn’t get my passport stamped.

Does anyone know how to handle proving I was where I said I was? It says something about getting proof from the respective governments but I have no idea how to go about that. TIA!!

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:38 pm
by Zerubbabel
No issue with that. They don't ask you for the stamps. You need just to report all absences form the UK but they don't ask you for stamps, tickets or any proof. You just need to list your absences in the table provided.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:58 pm
by CULLINAN
You will need to prove that you have been living in UK during the missed period (if entry/exit to UK is missing) as per your qualifying period.
Employer letter, P60 or government department letters.

UK does not stamp on exit but the destination country stamps on arrival.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:15 pm
by Caliburgh1234
I have proof if living in UK but they need proof of every time you enter/exit. And we did not receive stamps coming or going in some cases as eGates on both sides...

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:16 pm
by CULLINAN
Caliburgh1234 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:15 pm
I have proof if living in UK but they need proof of every time you enter/exit. And we did not receive stamps coming or going in some cases as eGates on both sides...
Employer letter, P60 or government department letters.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:26 pm
by alterhase58
Caliburgh1234 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:15 pm
I have proof if living in UK but they need proof of every time you enter/exit. And we did not receive stamps coming or going in some cases as eGates on both sides...
As pointed out you don't need to prove your exits/entries - just declare your absences.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 6:32 pm
by Caliburgh1234
Thanks all - I swear I something in the new online form that said I would have to show stamps in my passport or get confirmation from relevant governments but I can't find it now, so maybe it was on an old guidance form or something. Thank you!

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:35 pm
by Zerubbabel
Caliburgh1234 wrote:
Sun Sep 27, 2020 6:32 pm
Thanks all - I swear I something in the new online form that said I would have to show stamps in my passport or get confirmation from relevant governments but I can't find it now, so maybe it was on an old guidance form or something. Thank you!
When you upload your passport, scan all pages that have a stamp on them. There is no issue whatsoever if you travelled and no stamp was applied. They know that and they don't expect a stamp for each and every trip.

For the absences, you just declare them truthfully but no need to show stamps or any proof of travel.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:49 pm
by obormot
EU citizens do not get their passport stamped on entry to UK (or in EU countries) - still there is no "proof of each entry" required.
HO asks EU citizens to demonstrate that they physically resided in UK in last 5 years - say by showing continuous employment or being a student, etc. (and this is because there are no passport stamps), but they do not ask for proof of every entry exit either.
Some people cannot even show their passport for last 5 years (because they lost older passport, or because they recently changed passport and their embassy has a policy of retaining old passport) - and they still do not need to give proof of every entry/exit.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:49 pm
by Caliburgh1234
I'm not an EU citizen, but US citizens can now use the egates in most places.

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:44 pm
by obormot
My point was that HO has to routinely deal with applications where people do not have passport stamps (or any proof of entry/exit), and as long as you can show continuous physical presence it is not an issue (having job is the best, but there are also other options)

P.S. Just to clarify (for my own purposes - I am dealing with family member who is to travel on US passport and we actually do not want stumps in her passport) - so now if you have US passport you can enter Schengen (say, France) through e-gates and there will be no entry stamp?
Can you tell me for how long it was like that?
(seems bizarre to me, since they need to track your presence in Schengen, as formally you are not allowed more then 3 months in any 6 months..)

Re: Missing Passport Stamps due to eGates

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2020 1:09 pm
by vinny
obormot wrote:
Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:44 pm
we actually do not want stumps in her passport
We love collecting the cool stamps.