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| Concorde operations are from the International terminal at the airport, so even though we were not actually leaving the country we had to go through passport
by coin 16y ago
| Concorde operations are from the International terminal at the airport, so even though we were not actually leaving the country we had to go through passport control.
I've always wondered why so many counties outside of the US require showing one's passport when leaving the country. Is there a restriction on leaving?
- Toucan 16y agoYes, for people with arrest warrants for example. It also gives information on people who are overstaying visas, which can be taken into account if they apply again in the future.
- tdubhro1 16y agoIf you don't have the required visas for entry to the destination country the destination country will charge the origin country the cost of sending you back. Apart from the cost it's just a lot less hassle all round if a passport problem is discovered before you actually travel.
- cstross 16y agoThe US does, in fact, indirectly check passports for foreigners leaving the country: they have the airlines collect and return the I-94W visa waiver counterfoil that the immigration folks staple inside the passport when stamping it. (I assume that visa holders on a white I-94 got similar treatment. Not sure how it works/will work now that ESTA has entirely replaced the visa waiver cardboard thing; I'll be finding out in February.) The airlines in turn check passports against tickets to ensure that (a) the right person is flying, and (b) they're legal at the destination (so the airline doesn't get fined). Presumably it gives them a chance to check for over-stayers.