Customs officer never stamped my passport on return to UK

[Londontown]

Hello everyone

I'm on a Residence Card of a Family Member of an EEA National and the first time I travelled abroad from the UK after receiving the visa, I received a stamp in my passport from Heathrow airport a few years ago. However, a few months ago, I left the country for only the second time and returned to Stansted airport. The customs officer asked me about a refusal I had 10 years ago and then questioned me about lots of things before going away and keeping me waiting for 20 minutes. Eventually she came back and let me through but on the bus back to London, I realised that there was no stamp this time. Is that normal??? Did she just forget to stamp the passport???

Someone told me that they only stamp your passport once when you get the 5 yr FAmily Permit and then they don't do it again when you travel...but I don't know if this is reliable advice. I'm just worried that when I apply for EEA4, there will be some problem because someone forgot to stamp my passport. Am I just being paranoid?
Please help me with your knowledge.

Thank you.
LT

[toofan]

what visa you got? is it eea2 residence card for 5 years.
or family permit.
if you have 5 years residence card than its ok..

[Londontown]

Type of document: Residence Card of a Family Member of an EEA National (for 5 yrs)
That's what it says on the visa, toofan.
Yes, sorry, I just realised that a Family Permit is something different. I'll edit the original post

[GMB]

The immigration officer didn't stamp your passport because he's not permitted to. It would be a violation of EU freedom of movement law as well as UK Border Force regulations, even if you ask for it. In fact you shouldn't have been stamped the first time either if you have an EEA RC.

[Londontown]

Thanks GMB, that's interesting

[vinny]

Although it's normal practice not to stamp, the lack of stamps makes it difficult to prove when you were in and out of the UK. You should therefore keep a record and evidence of your travels.

[Londontown]

Yes Vinny, that's what I was worried about. I'll have to make sure I keep the boarding pass and other evidence somewhere safe.

[rosebead]

I don't know why she interrogated you if you already have a UK residence card. Annoying woman.

[Londontown]

I don't know why she interrogated you if you already have a UK residence card. Annoying woman.

I know, rosebead, it can be very distressing after a long flight when you are tired and just want to get back home I had to sit there in front of everyone with my wife(I feel more sorry for her since she has a British passport) while she took ages to make her enquiries. In the end I felt so relieved to get out of there which shouldn't be the case. Once you are granted the visa, you should be treated fairly and your rights should be respected. Now, I feel hesitant to leave the country because I never know what it's going to be like when I get back
To be fair, the customs officer at Heathrow in 2011 was nice and polite and said that I had nothing to worry about and that he just had to let his supervisor know because there was "something" on the system about a refusal 10 years ago....BUT sometimes customs officers can be arrogant or treat you like dirt which is very disappointing.
Anyway, life goes on...

[rosebead]

Sorry you went through that. It's just poor training is what it is. Even if you had the worst immigration history in the world with deportation orders and visa deception on your record, UK immigration officers still cannot refuse entry to family members of EU nationals. She should have been trained to know that. Unless your residence card was not genuine you should not have been interrogated like that. If they give you a hard time next time, maybe you should show them Regulation 11(2) of the EEA Regulations to remind them that family members holders of Residence Cards MUST be admitted into the UK or ask to speak to a supervisor to complain. You shouldn't have to educate them on how to do their job though.

[Londontown]

Sorry you went through that. It's just poor training is what it is. Even if you had the worst immigration history in the world with deportation orders and visa deception on your record, UK immigration officers still cannot refuse entry to family members of EU nationals. She should have been trained to know that. Unless your residence card was not genuine you should not have been interrogated like that. If they give you a hard time next time, maybe you should show them Regulation 11(2) of the EEA Regulations to remind them that family members holders of Residence Cards MUST be admitted into the UK or ask to speak to a supervisor to complain. You shouldn't have to educate them on how to do their job though.

Thanks! I think I'll print that link and carry it with me each time I travel