Countries without Immigration on Exit

[KhaoYai]

Not sure where to put this so maybe the mods will move it if necessary.

 

People leaving the UK are not subject to any overt immigration procedures - in other words they don't have to pass through an immigration booth when they leave.  The responsibility for checking passengers have the correct psssport/visa for their travel seems to be passed on to the airlines - although I'd guess they contact immigration if anything appears out of order.  That said, overstaying or lack of an entry visa in the first place doesn't seem to flag up any response.  I've know quite a few Thai's leave the UK after quite substantial overstays and simply walk through. I also knew a Jamaican who entered the UK illegally, had his real Jamaican passport sent to him and left on it without a problem - even though it clearly didn't contain any entry visa.

 

Maybe the UK doesn't care how someone entered its borders if they are leaving and I can see the point in that - waste of time. I've heard there are systems in place that flag up names of wanted criminals etc. so one would hope that aspect is covered.

 

Its difficult for me to comment on what other Eurpoean countries do in relation to immigration procedures for people exiting as I've mostly been to other EU member states so the procedure is quite simple. However, I don't remember any sort of immigration check on exit.

 

I haven't travelled that much in Asia and really can't remember - is Thailand unique in this matter?  Do the Immigration Departments of other Asian countries check your passport/immigration status when you are leaving?  Just seems a waste of time and I doubt they actually make enough on overstay fines etc. to cover the cost of the additional immigration officers required.

[Matzzon]

There are no countries without immigration on exit. Some you see, some you feel and some are almost invisible, but they are always there and they exists.

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, Matzzon said:

There are no countries without immigration on exit. Some you see, some you feel and some are almost invisible, but they are always there and they exists.

Slightly big brotherly and I think - a little OTT. I believe that in the UK all that is done is that passenger manifests are checked for persons of interest. If they were looking for or interested in people who have simply entered illegally, the UK authorities would have an exit system much the same as Thailand's where a physical check is made.  I also suspect that when your passport is scanned at check in, the airline's computer is not the only device cross referencing databases.

 

Although I've left the UK on many occasions, I had never really taken not of the fact that there is no physical exit check. What got me thinking about this was a family I knew who had been living in the UK illegally for almost 20 years.  I had no idea they were illegals - their 3 kids were all born in the UK. The kids father told me of the family's situation just a week before they left. He was convinced they would be stopped as they left and promised to call me to let me know how things went.  Apparently they just walked through and boarded their flight.

 

It got me thinking - how many other countries employ such a policy?

[Langsuan Man]

9 hours ago, Matzzon said:

There are no countries without immigration on exit. Some you see, some you feel and some are almost invisible, but they are always there and they exists.

Completely false statement, one of the first rules of posting at TV is don't make a blanket statement

 

The United States for one, and the only thing invisible is them checking my baggage for weapons or explosives 

[Will27]

33 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Slightly big brotherly and I think - a little OTT. I believe that in the UK all that is done is that passenger manifests are checked for persons of interest. If they were looking for or interested in people who have simply entered illegally, the UK authorities would have an exit system much the same as Thailand's where a physical check is made.  I also suspect that when your passport is scanned at check in, the airline's computer is not the only device cross referencing databases.

 

Although I've left the UK on many occasions, I had never really taken not of the fact that there is no physical exit check. What got me thinking about this was a family I knew who had been living in the UK illegally for almost 20 years.  I had no idea they were illegals - their 3 kids were all born in the UK. The kids father told me of the family's situation just a week before they left. He was convinced they would be stopped as they left and promised to call me to let me know how things went.  Apparently they just walked through and boarded their flight.

 

It got me thinking - how many other countries employ such a policy?

Unless the country has financial penalties for overstay, there wouldn't be much point in doing

anything on departure anyway.

 

In Australia, the overstay period would be noted and a ban put in place if applicable.

If it's a slow day, they may be interviewed prior to departure but not often.

[Peterw42]

40 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Slightly big brotherly and I think - a little OTT. I believe that in the UK all that is done is that passenger manifests are checked for persons of interest. If they were looking for or interested in people who have simply entered illegally, the UK authorities would have an exit system much the same as Thailand's where a physical check is made.  I also suspect that when your passport is scanned at check in, the airline's computer is not the only device cross referencing databases.

 

Although I've left the UK on many occasions, I had never really taken not of the fact that there is no physical exit check. What got me thinking about this was a family I knew who had been living in the UK illegally for almost 20 years.  I had no idea they were illegals - their 3 kids were all born in the UK. The kids father told me of the family's situation just a week before they left. He was convinced they would be stopped as they left and promised to call me to let me know how things went.  Apparently they just walked through and boarded their flight.

 

It got me thinking - how many other countries employ such a policy?

There must be a record of leaving otherwise how does NHS or pension etc know that you left ?

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, Langsuan Man said:

Completely false statement, one of the first rules of posting at TV is don't make a blanket statement

 

The United States for one, and the only thing invisible is them checking my baggage for weapons or explosives 

What is false? Are you stating that US no have Immigration looking up people that exits the country?

That´s a false statement. If you don´t understand that, there is no help for you.

[adammike]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

There must be a record of leaving otherwise how does NHS or pension etc know that you left ?

They dont!

[Tayaout]

The only time I was not subject to immigration on exit was a flight from the UK to Germany. I thought it was odd. I was stamped out of every other countries including Europe, the US, Mexico, South America, Africa, Middle East and Asia! 

[bkkcanuck8]

5 hours ago, Langsuan Man said:

Completely false statement, one of the first rules of posting at TV is don't make a blanket statement

 

The United States for one, and the only thing invisible is them checking my baggage for weapons or explosives 

The US/DHS receives a passenger manifest of everyone flying through US airspace (even if it is not landing in the US or taking off from) -- or arriving from a ship (and the boarder with Canada - shares data on everything of importance).  Whether the immigration department uses this to indicate people have left for the purposes of immigration, I have no idea. 

[DoctorG]

Aust, Canada, USA, UK.

That is all I can remember.

[Chassa]

Australia - just scan the passport and you are out!

[Suradit69]

3 hours ago, Tayaout said:

The only time I was not subject to immigration on exit was a flight from the UK to Germany. I thought it was odd. I was stamped out of every other countries including Europe, the US, Mexico, South America, Africa, Middle East and Asia! 

Quite a list of "every other countries," but only the US and Mexico are countries.

[NoBrainer]

Whhat is the purpose of this topic?

[toolpush]

6 hours ago, Langsuan Man said:

Completely false statement, one of the first rules of posting at TV is don't make a blanket statement

 

The United States for one, and the only thing invisible is them checking my baggage for weapons or explosives 

Canada for another

[toolpush]

52 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Aust, Canada, USA, UK.

That is all I can remember.

Autralia? Not when I was there

[whaleboneman]

I’m not sure if it’s changed but you used to be able to walk out of the USA into Tijuana without reporting to any American authority.

 

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, Tayaout said:

The only time I was not subject to immigration on exit was a flight from the UK to Germany. I thought it was odd. I was stamped out of every other countries including Europe, the US, Mexico, South America, Africa, Middle East and Asia! 

 

?? The US does not stamp people out.

 

only in.

 

It's rather like the George Washington bridge between New York and New Jersey.  No toll  leaving NY,  only on entering.

 

But reverting to OP question - it is done in al the Asian countries I've been to, and I have been to most of east Asia.

 

 

[natway09]

If you really think "Big Brother" does not know where you are,,,,, think again.

Make sure you get an exit stamp from some countries (I have to ask in Oz or NZ_ if your next stop is Thailand) It makes it easier ,,, believe me

[Tayaout]

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

?? The US does not stamp people out.

 

only in.

 

It's rather like the George Washington bridge between New York and New Jersey.  No toll  leaving NY,  only on entering.

 

But reverting to OP question - it is done in al the Asian countries I've been to, and I have been to most of east Asia.

 

 

I think you are right. The Canadian customs ask a lot of question when coming back but I can't remember if my passport got stamped. When I exited the US to Mexico by land there wasn't any customs at exit nor the Mexican border. I had to find them half asleep in some office to get my entry stamp. 

[bkkcanuck8]

57 minutes ago, toolpush said:

Canada for another

Pretty sure that Canadian government gets the information from manifests that are submitted by air, ships and from information shared by US/Canada agreements (they also share things like fingerprint database (RCMP)).  Simply put, exit processing would just add cost when you can get the information through other channels.  If the Thai government was smart they would prevent you from boarding the plane if you are in overstay (you would have to get immigration to stamp that you paid fines before checking in), get rid of exit processing and just work from airline manifests that should be required submitted preliminarily a few days before the flight and final manifest about an hour before the flight for late bookings.  They could then shift those immigration resources to process inbound traffic.

[allanos]

For as long as I can remember, there has been no passport control when exiting the United Kingdom.  When I woke up to this realisation, I was quite surprised, and so have been more aware of the lack of exit supervision when I have left Great Britain in recent years.

[DJ54]

2 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

I’m not sure if it’s changed but you used to be able to walk out of the USA into Tijuana without reporting to any American authority.

There are no US stops going into Mexico only on return to US.

For US citizens you can visit Baja California (Mexico state) but 

any further you need to get a visa. Most the time coming back 

to US is a painful long wait....

[emptypockets]

10 hours ago, Will27 said:

Unless the country has financial penalties for overstay, there wouldn't be much point in doing

anything on departure anyway.

 

In Australia, the overstay period would be noted and a ban put in place if applicable.

If it's a slow day, they may be interviewed prior to departure but not often.

My ex USA gf experience in Oz was very different to what you describe and quite a harrowing process for her.  Multi entry visa cancelled on the spot and taken into detention at the airport. One day late in leaving after the second three month stay of her 12 month visa.

This was in 2002. Times may have changed but I doubt it.

[Dumbastheycome]

8 hours ago, Chassa said:

Australia - just scan the passport and you are out!

So long as there  is  no  "flag" attached.

"over stay" might be exempted  because  self  departure with  no  other  more  serious "criminality" attached  to a  flag could  be  deemed a  more  cost effective  outcome. But  the  flag  for  overstay  might be a  problem in obtaining  any future  entrance for  non  nationals?

 

 

[White Christmas13]

7 hours ago, toolpush said:

Autralia? Not when I was there

I left Australia for a holiday to Thailand and yes scanned passport and smile for a picture

but I also got tested for drugs

[DoktorC]

9 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

The US/DHS receives a passenger manifest of everyone flying through US airspace (even if it is not landing in the US or taking off from) -- or arriving from a ship (and the boarder with Canada - shares data on everything of importance).  Whether the immigration department uses this to indicate people have left for the purposes of immigration, I have no idea. 

Yes, the US uses that information from passenger manifests to note in your I-94 record when you left the US.   Homeland Security maintains the I-94 website (https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home).  If you are a foreign national you can see your record for the last 5 years.  No record for US nationals.  

 

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, NoBrainer said:

Whhat is the purpose of this topic?

I simply asked a question. There doesn't have to be a purpose but as you are asking, I just wanted to know how common immigration checks on exit are. They appear to me to be a waste of time.

 

Members are allowed to ask questions as far as I know.

[KhaoYai]

15 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

There must be a record of leaving otherwise how does NHS or pension etc know that you left ?

They have no idea whether you are leaving permanently or for a 2 week holiday. You are supposed to notify HMRC if you leave for more than 180 days.

[Hanuman2547]

When I have exited the USA from LAX, SFO, and SEA I have never encountered a formal exit immigration.  I just check in at the airline ticket counter, show my passport, and they issue the boarding passes for my flights.  Of course returning to the USA everyone goes through immigration/customs.  The first part is a self check-in.  After that you actually go to an immigration officer who asks a few questions and then you exit to the customs area, pick up your bag, and if nothing to declare, head to a green channel and then deposit the bags on the belt.  Next stop is the actual baggage claim and then you are on your way.