Since there is no passport control at UK airports for passengers leaving the country?

Question

How does the Home Office know if e.g. a person on a visiting visa has left the country or not?

Answer 1

There ARE passport checks when you leave the country! You can't get past security without a passport.

Answer 2

Currently there is a limited embarks control but not the one that people believe they go through. When you show your passport on departure you show it to the airline that have the responsibility for checking that you have a valid document. Then it is possible that you will show it again to a security official that has nothing to do with Immigration and then again to the airline just before you board. The control that was in place previously (before 1997) could only find people who had overstayed and leaving the country, not the ones who stayed and didn't leave. When the Conservative administration decided to abolish it and the Labour administration carried that through, it was believed that the cost would be better spent finding the overstayers in the country.

It would be great if that was allowed to happen. Immigration has become such a 'hot topic' in the press over recent years that the focus changes every time there is a headline. Overstayers/working in breach/foreign prisoners/asylum/student abuse/forced prostitution/criminal gangs/child slaves/marriage of convenience/NHS abuse.....and much much more. It’s all dealt with but every time there is a knee jerk that moves valuable resources from one area to 'sort out' a perceived headline problem another problem or back log is created. A full embarks control will be of no use without technology to back it up,
Many people quote the control in the US but I am sure that there are plenty of people out there that can confirm counting in and out only makes sure that some people never leave.

Answer 3

I know exactly why you asked that. But i have bad news for you.
Although there are no immigration controls on the way out of the country, they can still check how long you have been in the UK on previous visits, when you come back. What do you think that the stamps in the passport are there for? Or the scanning??

Answer 4

You are right to point out the problem we have - not knowing who's left who has come in. You need to show your passport to the airline when you pass through to catch your plane, but not to immigration, unlike in many countries. So, they don't know if a visitor, illegal immigrant, over-stayer, etc., is still in the country. That's why so many of them have stayed without being noticed. But even when they have been spotted, no one seems to be particularly concerned - least of all the police who do not see it as their problem. They just tell them to report to immigration 'when it's convenient', and release them back into society. Even those who have committed crimes here are not told to leave, even if they should not be here in the first place. The govt believes we need more immigrants to keep up our population which, until recently, has been falling. But now with immigrants' help, it is rising, and the name Muhammad is the most popular, overtaking the English name 'Jack'.

Answer 5

You still need a passport for the UK but if you live in the EU they have opened all their borders so you can travel freely through Europe except Poland who also still uses border control

Answer 6

News to me, I have always Had to show my passport when have travelled overseas.but wait a minute though is that a good idea placed here?
.It could help to re-assign those and, place more on the because that, is the area of more concern to the Brits.

Answer 7

This data is collected from their home country when a person comes back to his home country and gets a "ENTRY" stamp on his/her passport.

Answer 8

We don't. You can thank the Labour Party for removing our (full) embarks controls. Now - years later - they are finally working to bring them back....very slowly.

Answer 9

Wrong. Your passport is still checked before you depart.

Answer 10

Dumb & Duber!!!