Schengen stamp at Eurotunnel UK to France?
 

So I'm just doing a bit of pre-trip planning, and have a question based on an experience I had last time (when I rode from UK to Europe and then shipped the bike home and flew home from Switzerland to the US, without ever having stamped into Europe...oops...long story, but fortunately they let me out).

I'd like to do it right this time, since we're planning to enter the Schengen Zone via the Eurotunnel from Folkestone, and exit to the east to Asia. I'm hoping someone with actual experience can tell me for certain: is there a desk at the Folkestone Eurotunnel Passenger check-in that will stamp us into Europe? Or if not, where do I go to get our passports stamped in and start the clock ticking on our allowed stay?

Thanks!

Bit difficult for me to comment as I'm a Brit and so would never get a stamp, but on the Folkestone side there are the border points where you might get a stamp. You have to go through these to get to the passenger terminal.

Same on the Calais side, coming the opposite way. I.E. You do your border checks before you get on the train, and then nothing when you're on the other side.

Ed

I'm not sure I understand the question.

"I rode from UK to Europe and then shipped the bike home and flew home from Switzerland to the US, without ever having stamped into Europe"

If I understand correctly, you live in the USA (?) and have a non-Schengen passport (?) and presumably flew into Europe, then rode from the UK to Switzerland, then flew to the USA? So, you would almost certainly have received an entry stamp (into Europe) when you entered the UK. When you left the UK you will (should) have had a passport check - the UK border staff would not have stamped your passport however you should have received a passport stamp entering the next country (France? Belgium?) since you would have been entering the Schengen Zone. Since this didn't happen, for some reason, you ended up with problems leaving Switzerland.

If you are a non-Schengen passport holder you should receive a stamp entering France at the Eurotunnel border office. Unless this has changed (I haven't used Eurotunnel for a while) the French Border Control office is at Folkestone (not Calais). If for some reason this doesn't happen I suggest asked Eurotunnel staff BEFORE leaving Folkestone where the French Border Controls are to make sure you get your passport stamped.

Just follow the crowd to border control. I have done it many times and have never had an issue.

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Thanks All. Yes, for some reason, I rode straight up to the Terminal vehicle entry booth (in the lanes before boarding) at Folkestone last time, and they looked at my ticket (booked online) and let me through, and I never even thought to stop and have my passport stamped to enter France. Now that I know better, I'll be sure to stop at the passenger terminal before boarding the train. :thumbup1:

Jeez, I always thought UK is part of Europe if I remember my geography lessons :innocent: But I must admit, that was quite some time ago.... Even after a successful Brexit UK stays part of Europe, although it then isn't part of the EU anymore :smartass:

The UK was never in the schengen region so non-EU passport holders have always needed a stamp for the UK and another for schengen.