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If I stamped my passport for an international flight as we usually do before international departures and then I changed my mind for any reason, for example a family emergency reason. What's the process to cancel the stamp and leave the departure area?

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    Also interesting: what happens if you buy something from the duty-free shop?
    – Dirty-flow
    Mar 5, 2013 at 21:48
  • Whatever your need, you will have to pass through IMMIGRATION. Often they make a NOTATION and SIGN. Don't forget your checked baggage! Airlines often reject passengers who then return back in to a country.
    – J. Hughes
    Dec 16, 2020 at 0:39

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The actual process would depend on your location and passport, but you can of course in principle be stamped back in.

You'd have technically left the country which stamped you out. Not departing, for whatever reason, would require you to, technically, enter the country again, with all due consequences.

You might have to purchase an (emergency?) visa on the spot. And I do suspect that some countries, notably countries that don't issue visas on the spot for passport holders of your country, might not have any procedure in place for an occurrence like you're describing. You might end up being forced to take your flight, be deported or be denied entry and be the next Terminal Man. :)

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    A story happened to me recently might show how serious this is, I was standing in line for the immigration in Dubai to stamp myself out to go to Saudi Arabia, I changed my mind on spot and wanted to go to Jakarta (I do that a lot), a police officer saw me moving away from the line, I had a full investigation! they searched all my luggage and hold my passport for sometime, I ended up missing both flights! while technically I did not even stamp my passport or do anything wrong.
    – Nean Der Thal
    Jun 22, 2014 at 5:03
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    This may just be Dubai. I have spent money to deliberately bypass travelling through UAE. This is just my opinion, but it mystifies me why anyone would choose to travel to or through that country. There are people who have been in prison for years in UAE on drug charges because they had a couple of poppy seeds on their clothing. Like poppy seeds from bagels or muffins. I would feel more comfortable flying into Baghdad than Dubai.
    – L0j1k
    Oct 25, 2014 at 20:25

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