WHY DOESN'T THE US STAMP PEOPLE OUT?

[Old Dominion 26]

USC dont get stamped either way. An interesting thing to mention. I have gone to korea while on leave (yeah im military). If they think im military and I have to show my military ID, they will not stamp my passport either. (i think it has something to do with the SOFA....status of forces agreement) Some countries are different for military...i actually dont need a passport to travel to korea as all i need is my leave paperwork and my ID. I always thought that was stupid.

As far as places getting stamped for leaving...I dont understand that part...so I am assuming permenant residents get their passports stamped only when entering the US or do they not get stamped at all since they are allowed to be here?

During my last entry, I was stamped. I am a USC. I found this strange!

I've been stamped every single time I entered the U.S. I think this is common.

Same here, except via car from Canada

[N M 96]

USC dont get stamped either way. An interesting thing to mention. I have gone to korea while on leave (yeah im military). If they think im military and I have to show my military ID, they will not stamp my passport either. (i think it has something to do with the SOFA....status of forces agreement) Some countries are different for military...i actually dont need a passport to travel to korea as all i need is my leave paperwork and my ID. I always thought that was stupid.

As far as places getting stamped for leaving...I dont understand that part...so I am assuming permenant residents get their passports stamped only when entering the US or do they not get stamped at all since they are allowed to be here?

During my last entry, I was stamped. I am a USC. I found this strange!

I've been stamped every single time I entered the U.S. I think this is common.

Same here, except via car from Canada

Yep, my USC wife and my USC friends are ALWAYS stamped in when they enter the US.

Going back to the original qurestion, I've just gone through my passport and it seems stamping out is more common than not in the countries I've visited.

EU nations - no stamps at all (I'm an EU citizen)

Stamped Out

India

Croatia

Czech Rep (prior to EU)

Slovakia (prior to EU)

Suriname

Colombia

Singapore

Malaya

Argentina

Turkey

Not Stamped Out

USA

Canada

Mexico

Trinidad & Tobago

Morocco

Brazil

Uruguay

Hungary (prior to EU)

[K and L 27]

I'm a USC and I've been stamped both ways in Brazil every time I've gone to Brazil. (But unlike EUCs, USCs are required to get visas in Brazil.)

I've been stamped every time I've returned to the US, but never when leaving.

I wasn't stamped on entry to Germany (POE for a bunch of travel within the EU, post-EU), but was on exit. I also wasn't stamped anywhere within the EU after I entered. Didn't need a visa.

I wasn't stamped on entry or exit of Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Antigua, The Bahamas (though I did have to apply for a visa), St Maartin, Jamaica, etc.

[Malrothien 6]

The only stamp I have in my passport is my Canadian work visa.

[Justine+David 218]

Yeah, I'm never stamped when I leave the UK (only stamped coming in), but I was stamped both ways when I left Italy which I found strange...

Darn Italian lady took up two of the spots for stamps on just one of the stamps too!

[Chris and Rosalie 0]

My guess is the US doesn't stamp people out is because it would cost money for little benefit.

In other countries, it seems more like a jobs program and these governments seem to not care if you overstay your visa as long as you pay your fine - they just want the money. In the US, overstaying your visa could get you denied on future visas.

A jobs program is also the only explanation I can see for collecting terminal fees at the airport instead of including them as fees on your ticket.

Looked through my passport and only once was I stamped on entry into the US (I'm a USC). I think it was in Minneapolis. I've also entered in San Francisco and Detroit. So maybe it just depends on the POE. What equipment they have. How they are trained. Local procedures. Etc.

Edited January 9, 2010 by Chris and Rosalie