Passport nearly full and 8 countries to visit

[denniseff]

I have 8 blank pages left in my passport and will be visiting 8 countries in the Far East, some of them require 2 pages. The US State Dept. website requires that I be down to 4 pages or less, to get additional pages added. I will be overseas all of March. Do you suppose I could get additional pages added at an embassy in one of the cruise ports? Going on Celebrity Millennium and HAL Volendam. Help greatly appreciated. Dennis Creamer:confused:

[Starlight Durban Cruising]

I suspect that the embassies overseas will not have "blank pages" of passport documents laying around. This would be a major risk if one thinks about someone getting hold of those blank pages for criminal purposes. Also would you have enough time in those ports to get to an embassy, sort out what needs to be done, and to get back to the ship on time.

 

Can you not call a Helpline for the Dept of State to see if they can help you.

[cruisemom42]

If you explain the reason why you need the extra pages, you can get it done now despite what the requirement says. I have had this happen to me and there was no problem with getting the extra pages added.

 

P.S. I would NOT count on being able to have pages added while you are traveling.

Edited January 16, 2014 by cruisemom42

[Texas Tillie]

I have 8 blank pages left in my passport and will be visiting 8 countries in the Far East, some of them require 2 pages. The US State Dept. website requires that I be down to 4 pages or less, to get additional pages added. I will be overseas all of March. Do you suppose I could get additional pages added at an embassy in one of the cruise ports? Going on Celebrity Millennium and HAL Volendam. Help greatly appreciated. Dennis Creamer:confused:

 

I had more than 4 pages left, but have several trips coming up where I'll need extra pages. Had no problem getting the extra pages added. I sent my passport off on Jan. 2nd and got it back yesterday, Jan 15th.

[paul929207]

We recently got aditional pages added to our US passports. We still had more than 4 pages, but will be visiting many countries this year. Got the passports back in less than two weeks.

[Zach1213]

Not only would I not count on a US embassy/consulate to add pages, but why would you want to waste your precious time with a visit to an embassy/consulate unless you really needed to? I've spent a lot of time in US embassies/consulates around the world for various reasons, and they're fun the first one or two times...then you realize it's just an office building and it's no place that you would really want to spend your time.

 

You have plenty of time to get pages added before you leave, from the sounds of it. It doesn't take too long at all.

[sail7seas]

Send the passports and include a note why you need more pages.

You shouldn't have any problem.

 

Good luck.

[denniseff]

Thanks for your help!

[Hlitner]

There is a lesson to be learned. The State Department no charges money to add additional Passport pages and this does not even include the expense of mailing in your Passport (most use Certified Mail). But, when you obtain a new passport you can simply have extra pages added for free by checking the box on the application form. There is no downside to having additional pages other then the Passport is slightly thicker.

 

Hank

[LynnTTT]

Don't ask "the man on the street" for this kind of advice! Opinions don't count and why would you take a chance based on what "experts" might say?

Go to the US government web pages or call the State Department to get real answers

"

[paul929207]

There is a lesson to be learned. The State Department no charges money to add additional Passport pages and this does not even include the expense of mailing in your Passport (most use Certified Mail). But, when you obtain a new passport you can simply have extra pages added for free by checking the box on the application form. There is no downside to having additional pages other then the Passport is slightly thicker.

 

Hank

We checked the box for extra pages last time we renewed. I included a note explaining that we planned to travel a lot. No extra pages.

 

We recently sent off to get extra pages added to our passport. The form for this also has a box to check for twice as many added pages. We checked it, but only got the normal allotment of extra pages.

 

So we are zero for two asking for more.

[Hlitner]

We checked the box for extra pages last time we renewed. I included a note explaining that we planned to travel a lot. No extra pages.

 

We recently sent off to get extra pages added to our passport. The form for this also has a box to check for twice as many added pages. We checked it, but only got the normal allotment of extra pages.

 

So we are zero for two asking for more.

 

Have to love our own government...as they often think we work for them rather then the other way around. I have no clue as to why they did not honor your request. DW got her Passport renewed last year, we checked off the extra page box, and she got the 46 page version. I believe the normal complement is about 28 pages. Having filled a couple of previous Passports we always want extra pages, although since the EU came about we do not fill nearly as many pages these days.

 

Hank

[paul929207]

Have to love our own government...as they often think we work for them rather then the other way around. I have no clue as to why they did not honor your request. DW got her Passport renewed last year, we checked off the extra page box, and she got the 46 page version. I believe the normal complement is about 28 pages. Having filled a couple of previous Passports we always want extra pages, although since the EU came about we do not fill nearly as many pages these days.

 

Hank

When we got the passports, it was not really a big deal. Then you could get pages added for just the postage cost. Now that it is $82, I am more disturbed by their ignoring me. The only consultation is that I was not sure I would need them. Our passports expire in September 2016, so the new pages plus what we had left will probably be good.

 

Still, why bother having the check box if they are just going to ignore it?

[BruceMuzz]

I suspect that the embassies overseas will not have "blank pages" of passport documents laying around. This would be a major risk if one thinks about someone getting hold of those blank pages for criminal purposes. Also would you have enough time in those ports to get to an embassy, sort out what needs to be done, and to get back to the ship on time.

 

Can you not call a Helpline for the Dept of State to see if they can help you.

 

I have had extra pages added to my passport at US Embassies in Beijing and Tokyo, and at the passport agency in Honolulu.

Honolulu required 40 minutes to do it.

Tokyo required one hour to do it.

Beijing required 2 hours.

 

All were free of charge.

[zoncom]

Paul is correct.Several years ago while residing Mia Beach.the Sunday Miami paper says PP prices going up and last chance for free extra pages Monday. So I take bus over to downtown Gov. building, stand in line 2 hrs. along with 100s of others who put off getting a PP. They told me to go back to commissioners in Mia Beach. They took my PP sent it in and I received the free inserted pages a month later.Beautiful background designs on extra pages. Guess it was worth the effort. Mine expires 16 also.

[ldubs]

There is a lesson to be learned. The State Department no charges money to add additional Passport pages and this does not even include the expense of mailing in your Passport (most use Certified Mail). But, when you obtain a new passport you can simply have extra pages added for free by checking the box on the application form. There is no downside to having additional pages other then the Passport is slightly thicker.

 

Hank

 

I thought the cost was higher for the lengthier version????

[paul929207]

I thought the cost was higher for the lengthier version????

No, the standard addition is 24 pages (I think). That is for $82. You can get double, ie 48 pages, by checking the box. No additional charge for the second 24 pages.

[greatam]

Don't ask "the man on the street" for this kind of advice! Opinions don't count and why would you take a chance based on what "experts" might say?

Go to the US government web pages or call the State Department to get real answers

"

 

You really going to believe what the government website says or some minor clerk that answers the phone????

 

I travel a lot internationally for business, particularly to the Middle East, South America and Asia.

 

If you look at the State dept website, it says you can get visa on arrival in Kuwait. Yes, you can but only if you are a tourist and will be in the country less than 14 days AND can produce either a hotel reservation or friends/relatives address. BUT if you are going for any other purpose (Kuwait is the major gateway for all US GOVERNMENT contractors AND DOD employees working in Iraq or Afghanistan), you get visa on arrival but only if your name is on the sponsorship list at arrival. Second time I went into Kuwait, my name was NOT on the list. SO around and around I went from Kuwait calling the US State Dept in Washington DC trying to get the sponsorship papers or find out which contact person had them at DOD. State is SUPPOSED to have all the info for non military US citizens on contract with DOD or other US contractors. IIRC, 6 phone calls speaking to 6 minor clerks with no on having a clue even what I was talking about. One told me to call the Pentagon. "Well, just which General would you like me to speak with?" Complete silence-finally, I don't know his name. DUH!!!

 

Finally, the guy at the airport took pity on me, told me I could have a tourist visa for 72 hours IF I had a hotel reservation. So I called the Radisson where I usually stay and got a room. Out the door I went with my VERY temp visa. After 72 hours, I would be declared an illegal alien and would very likely be carted off to a Kuwaiti jail since they knew where I was staying. I went DIRECT to the US Embassy. THERE I got help. And even they couldn't get the name of the DOD contact person by calling Washington DC. They finally just called Camp Arifjan, got in touch with a higher up who supplied name, contact numbers and contract number so I could get the sponsorship paper I needed.

 

So now please tell me again how much good it does to call the US State Dept in Washington or use their website.

[zoncom]

Like I said they started an extra charge for extra Existing pp. Swear it was to be $86, maybe $82.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Send the passports and include a note why you need more pages.

You shouldn't have any problem.

 

Good luck.

That is what I would do ..

[momofmeg]

when on a cruiseship you do not get passports stamped unless you request the stamps. We wee in Italy, 4 different ports, by cruise ship, flew into Barcelona and we have no stamps for Italy. The same goes for France, we only have stamps for France from our land trip, the 2 times we visited there by cruiseships we got no stamps.

[nolatravelgirl]

It would help if you list the countries/ports you are visiting. You do not need 8 total empty pages. 8 pages is A LOT of pages left. When I was traveling a lot and my passport was getting full, I would be sure to ask the stamping agent nicely to place the stamp in a specific spot. Sometimes I would even place a post-it and open the page requesting they use this spot/page. I have a very organized passport, can you tell I am a little OCD? :D

[Snorkel Dawg]

There is a lesson to be learned. The State Department no charges money to add additional Passport pages and this does not even include the expense of mailing in your Passport (most use Certified Mail). But, when you obtain a new passport you can simply have extra pages added for free by checking the box on the application form. There is no downside to having additional pages other then the Passport is slightly thicker.

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

Great tip!

Will do exactlly that next time I need a new one

[ldubs]

when on a cruiseship you do not get passports stamped unless you request the stamps. We wee in Italy, 4 different ports, by cruise ship, flew into Barcelona and we have no stamps for Italy. The same goes for France, we only have stamps for France from our land trip, the 2 times we visited there by cruiseships we got no stamps.

 

Actually, depends on the country.

[momofmeg]

Actually, depends on the country.

 

I have visited Ireland, by Cruise ship too, plus, Croatia, Montenegro, England,besides France and Italy in Europe. I only have a stamp for France and England from my land trips,no stamps for the others.

 

I am sure some countries require a stamp for your passport, I imagine that is when the cruise ship keeps your pass port because it is necessary for that reason, but I doubt the OP has to worry about where to put all 8 stamps, unless he/she just wants them. Also, as others have pointed out more than one stamp can go on the same page. I know my passport has more than one stamp per page in some places even though I still have a couple of empty pages. To be honest I never even thought about it could be a problem until I read this thread.