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My country allows for 2 biometric passports. They have different pictures, and number. Same name and date of birth. Schengen allows me to stay following the 90/180 rule. What if I get in and out alternating the passports. Practically, how would they know that I overstayed? How can they trace back if they're practically 2 different passport, and I am not flagged or reported for anything illegal in their system?

It strikes me and I am really curious to know how they would know, practically, that i've been in the Schengen zone for 90 days, and I am getting back in again having no stamp that prove that I have overstayed.

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    Practically, they might not know. They may catch you, especially if the names, DOBs, etc... are the same. You might get away with it. People sometimes get away with things that aren't allowed.
    – Zach Lipton
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 21:47
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    Well, first, no matter if they catch you or not, you're breaking the law. They could get suspicious by two people with the same name and DOB coming in and out in regular patterns; I'd be surprised if there were no bot to detect this.
    – yo'
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 21:48
  • Which country is this that allows you two passports??
    – Tim Malone
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 21:50
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    @TimMalone Most do (maybe not biometric, but do) because you may travel so much that one of your passports is often at an embassy waiting for visa.
    – yo'
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 21:56
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    @TimMalone Australia calls it a concurrent passport.
    – Michael Hampton
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 21:59

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The passport number is not the only data point that countries can use to match an individual.

Among other points that can be used are name, gender, date of birth, place of birth, all of which appear on the passport and together can uniquely identify pretty much anyone on earth, as well as biometrics (when available).

In addition to demographics, they can also match on credit card numbers and this adds a layer of risk to gaming the system with two passports.

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  • How would they have a traveler's credit card number?
    – phoog
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 23:11
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    @phoog hasbrouck.org/articles/PNR.html
    – Gayot Fow
    Commented Jul 14, 2016 at 23:26
  • The PNR article refers to a US database. May not apply to a person who hasn't entered or entered USA. I am a US citizen, and when I did a FOIA request for "ALL my PNRs and ANY other data", they sent me ONLY date and destination of less than one-third of my US border crossings—and having several of them wrong! And it took them many months to do that!
    – WGroleau
    Commented Sep 11, 2022 at 16:24

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