Can I travel on a passport slightly damaged by border staff?
Posted by limach1@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 27 comments
Border staff in Kenya put a barcode sticker on the main page of my passport over my signature (I have the old red passport)
They did the EXACT same thing to me in Jordan, but I was able to peel it off carefully without issue. I di this because the people I travelled with later had issues with the sticker being in their passport.
This time, I tried to gently lift it, and saw it’s taking my signature with it. Now even if I do manage to remove it, my signature will be partially ripped. Do I just leave the sticker obscuring the middle of my signature?
I don’t want to get myself stuck somewhere on my next holiday because of this. I have no idea why these people are sticking stuff on the signature on a paper page of someone’s passport, and if it’s allowed to have this on??
Serious_Badger_4145@reddit
Contact the passport office about it. they'll tell you if it's gonna be an issue
jeanettem67@reddit
I would replace it. Sounds worse than a water stain.
HM Passport Office will consider your passport damaged if:
https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/replace
ClockAccomplished381@reddit
Over £100 and need a countersignatory that isn't a relative or living with you to replace, jesus. Mine has minor damage from being put through the washing machine and I've never had an issue travelling to various countries on it since, although it did get queried a couple of times in maybe 15(?) journeys.
I suppose I really ought to replace it; part of me says if it was considered really bad I wouldn't have been allowed to travel on it so many times, the other part says my luck will run out before it expires.
avalanchefan95@reddit
That water damage is coming for you at renewal time. Make sure you allow enough time to process. Wife just had this and she's had to send a letter saying "I've no idea why there's liquids damage to my passport but it's not fraudulent" Pain in the butt.
arpw@reddit
Yeah I had the same. Had to send them a physical letter explaining how I spent a long summer in the US and would carry it around in my leg pocket as ID for bars, and given the hot climate at the time I frequently sweated through onto it. What they were seeing as water damage was in fact bodily fluid damage.
I hope they're glad they asked.
silverfish477@reddit
Then just say the old one’s lost, you don’t HAVE to return it…
enchantedspring@reddit
You're called for a face-to-face interview for a 2nd lost passport. 1st lost passport adds weeks to renewal and has the annotation about prior loss on the observations page.
avalanchefan95@reddit
Lost passport takes ages to replace though...
ceffyl_gwyn@reddit
Plus, if you lose more than one (or have one stolen etc) it can become a real pain. I had to go to Peterborough for face to face interviews on top of the time lag when it happened to me after losing one, then being pickpocketed a few years later.
OmegaPoint6@reddit
You only need the countersignatory if the old one is lost or stolen.
ClockAccomplished381@reddit
The website says lost stolen or damaged.
OmegaPoint6@reddit
“You’ll need to ask someone to confirm your identity online if you’re replacing a lost or stolen passport.”
ClockAccomplished381@reddit
https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications
"You must get your paper form and one of your 2 print photos signed if you’re applying for a:
first adult passport first child passport replacement for a lost, stolen or damaged passport"
OmegaPoint6@reddit
Seems to government website disagrees with itself then
Mental_Body_5496@reddit
If you use the online system the countersignatory just gets an email these days to click j confirm 👍
AllThatIHaveDone@reddit
If you travel that much, it's silly to take the risk imo.
remmy84@reddit
Mines been through the wash and it’s still accepted in the uk and all over the African continent
PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit
It depends where you're going to next. If you're arriving back in the UK as your home country you should be fine. If you're heading to Thailand - I'd be very surprised if they let you in as they were displeased about the gold leaf wearing off the cover of my last passport and I've since learnt they're very strict and don't shy away from turning people away.
explax@reddit
Being annoyed about the gold leaf is pretty unusual tbh, even for Thailand/Vietnam. The inside can be pristine but the heat can easily wear off the gold leaf.
PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit
Yeah it wasn't completely worn off either, it's just the passport was 8 years old and had been in my pocket quite a lot. Given the pages were nearly full I'm surprised it finished its life in such good state!
TellMeManyStories@reddit
I had all kinds of trouble with the gold coming off my passport. I had to go through extra checks/call a supervisor in Oman, Morocco, Thailand, and Israel (out of about 50 countries)..
But when the gold leaf was *entirely* worn off, suddenly nobody cared anymore and just assumed it was always blank!
Sixforsilver7for@reddit
When's it up for renewal and when's your next trip? Might need a replacement regardless of the damage.
ceffyl_gwyn@reddit
Just replace it.
If it's a red passport you're going to be replacing it in the next few years anyway, so I'd just bring that forward. It's a minimal faff now to avoid the potential for some major faff overseas somewhere later on.
No_Preference9093@reddit
I would replace it. Many border staff will not like that.
VelinaQuartz@reddit
I’d leave it as is and avoid peeling more—better safe than risking further damage or issues.
AggravatingSpot4330@reddit
I’d replace it. Border control can be picky and this sounds like avoidable risk
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