Ripped passport

[Quasar1011]

Somehow a page got ripped out of my passport. My wife taped it back in. Is this going to be a problem for my next cruise?

[sherilyn70]

Yes, it could be a big issue.

 

http://www.uspassporthelpguide.com/what-to-do-when-your-u-s-passport-is-damaged/

[Mary Ellen]

I wouldn't risk traveling with it.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/FAQs.html

 

My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport?

If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you will need to apply for a new passport. Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.

 

Normal wear of a U.S. passport is expected and likely does not constitute "damage." For instance normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing.

 

If you need to replace your damaged passport, you will need to submit the following in person (See Where to Apply):

 

The damaged passport;

Form DS-11; and

All documents required by Form DS-11, including citizenship documentation (i.e., birth certificate).

[cruisead]

It will definitely be a problem because its against the law to deface a passport in any manner.

[Lerin]

No, you can not use it, but it appears you have over a year until your next cruise. Plenty of time to have another issued.

People have posted Passport turn around times in as little as 2 weeks.

However, it would probably be best to do it as soon as you're able. :)

[Treven]

Ditto, it's no good anymore.

[greatam]

May not be as much of a problem as what some of you are making it out to be.

 

IF it was just one of the middle blank pages, it won't be much of a problem or it shouldn't be as long as the page is not ripped and taped back together or obvious that it has been altered.

 

My entire passport fell apart (stitching came loose in the middle where they had added on extra pages). While I was trying to hold it together with paperclips and scotch tape until I could get to the Embassy in Kuwait City, I was really worried because I was transiting out of Iraq into Kuwait. I had called the Embassy, I had called the military contracting office, everyone I could think of just in case I had a difficult time getting out of Iraq and back into Kuwait (I had a Kuwait civilian residency card sponsored by a large US military contractor but wasn't sure that was enough).

 

When I finally got to the Embassy with my appointment sheet in hand, every piece of ID I had with me (they require a birth certificate if you need a replacement passport and this I DID NOT have). The consular rep looked at my passport pretty thoroughly. Then started laughing. He actually said "you were worried about this?". It was still intact, just held together with paperclips and a little bits of scotch tape through the middle.

 

They took my passport, took out the middle page which had been ripped slightly around the holes where the stitching was but was blank, disappeared for about a hour and brought me back the same passport, restitched without the slightly ripped page and handed it back to me. He made the comment, "that passport is pretty full, hope you don't need that extra page" and he disappeared. I just kind of sat there with my passport thinking-is that all??? After about 10 minutes when I figured he wasn't coming back, I walked out.

 

The ICE officials are looking for obviously defaced, ripped or altered passports, particularly the covers, the information page or any page which might have had a visa on it (some people rip out their visa pages because another country may not let them in-certain Middle Eastern countries out of Israel comes to mind-ALWAYS ask for your visa NOT to be stamped if you go to Israel. They will hand you a paper to carry).

 

Coming back into the USA MAY present some problems. BUT if you REALLY pay attention to the procedure, they make a quick flip through your passport unless you have a lot of visa's or a lot of stamps from the Middle East or Africa, run the bar code through the scanner, your picture flips up, your info flips up (DON'T be on a no fly or no enter list) and they stamp your passport. I can't see this being a very big problem to someone re-entering the USA or transiting Europe. In fact, if it was my passport and the page was not OBVIOUSLY ripped out (something like mine where the stitching just came loose), I think I would take out the ripped page entirely unless you have done A LOT of traveling and have a LOT of stamps or visas. Then, go get a new passport or go to a US passport office (NOT the post office) and have them take a look at it.

 

Good luck whichever you decide to do. My experience was in a foreign country but I have been in and out of the USA many, many times with the same passport and I have yet to have anyone count the pages (there are supposed to be 48 in mine-there are only 44 if you count both sides).

Edited May 16, 2014 by greatam

[sherilyn70]

I think I would take the governments word over a person who just travels a lot and has a passport... so consider the advice here before you decide what to do.

 

Per the government sites:

 

My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport?

 

If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you will need to apply for a new passport. Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.

 

Normal wear of a U.S. passport is expected and likely does not constitute "damage." For instance normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing.

 

If you need to replace your damaged passport, you will need to submit the following in person (See Where to Apply):

The damaged passport;

Form DS-11; and

All documents required by Form DS-11, including citizenship documentation (i.e., birth certificate).

[greatam]

I think I would take the governments word over a person who just travels a lot and has a passport... so consider the advice here before you decide what to do.

 

Per the government sites:

 

My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport?

 

If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you will need to apply for a new passport. Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.

 

Normal wear of a U.S. passport is expected and likely does not constitute "damage." For instance normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing.

 

 

You obviously missed the most important words in the first line of the government info-"SIGNIFICANTLY damaged", "cover", "info page". A "SIGNIFCANT tear", "missing VISA pages" (torn out like I already posted).

 

I will bet money unless there are a lot of stamps and visas, the pages will be fanned and that missing page, if NOT obvious, will never be noticed. They certainly don't count the pages or I would have had to replace mine or had major problems recently re-entering the USA when I came back from the Middle East with only two blank pages in the entire passport.

 

If the OP feels safer getting a new passport, then do it. I just don't believe one missing page if it is NOT OBVIOUS in any manner, will cause much concern.

[Stratheden]

Yes it can be a problem. A relative accidentally tore the main page (with the photo) when he stuffed something in his bag. He was not allowed to enter Chile at Santiago airport and had to remain in transit overnight.

His friend went to their overnight hotel and came back to the airport the next day and they flew home.

[sparks1093]

You obviously missed the most important words in the first line of the government info-"SIGNIFICANTLY damaged", "cover", "info page". A "SIGNIFCANT tear", "missing VISA pages" (torn out like I already posted).

 

I will bet money unless there are a lot of stamps and visas, the pages will be fanned and that missing page, if NOT obvious, will never be noticed. They certainly don't count the pages or I would have had to replace mine or had major problems recently re-entering the USA when I came back from the Middle East with only two blank pages in the entire passport.

 

If the OP feels safer getting a new passport, then do it. I just don't believe one missing page if it is NOT OBVIOUS in any manner, will cause much concern.

 

I agree with this almost 100% but do note that OP will be traveling to St Petersburg on their trip and while the torn page most certainly wouldn't be an issue to US officials there is no telling what it would do for the officials in Russia. If it were me in OP's shoes I would have to give serious thought to getting the passport replaced, even if only because of an overabundance of caution.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I see you are sailing on May 27 -- better have a new passport expedited.

[cruisemom42]

I see you are sailing on May 27 -- better have a new passport expedited.

 

May 27, 2015. Not this year. :D

[xxoocruiser]

 

 

 

When I finally got to the Embassy with my appointment sheet in hand, every piece of ID I had with me (they require a birth certificate if you need a replacement passport and this I DID NOT have). The consular rep looked at my passport pretty thoroughly. Then started laughing. He actually said "you were worried about this?". It was still intact, just held together with paperclips and a little bits of scotch tape through the middle.

 

 

An Embassy Employee is not the final authority as to whether or not the passport is in acceptable condition. The actual Customs Agent for each specific country that the passport is presented for entry has the final word. OP really should have it replaced.

Edited May 16, 2014 by xxoocruiser

[greatam]

Yes it can be a problem. A relative accidentally tore the main page (with the photo) when he stuffed something in his bag. He was not allowed to enter Chile at Santiago airport and had to remain in transit overnight.

His friend went to their overnight hotel and came back to the airport the next day and they flew home.

 

Your relative is the poster child for government mandated replacement. The MAIN PAGE torn definitely requires a new passport. But the OP did not state it was the main page. And from the post, I am guessing it was one of the middle blank pages. Could be wrong but the OP did not state that it was a page with IMPORTANT info or a visa page.

[greatam]

I agree with this almost 100% but do note that OP will be traveling to St Petersburg on their trip and while the torn page most certainly wouldn't be an issue to US officials there is no telling what it would do for the officials in Russia. If it were me in OP's shoes I would have to give serious thought to getting the passport replaced, even if only because of an overabundance of caution.

 

I didn't realize the OP was going to Russia. THAT could be a problem. I, too, would get a replacement passport.

[greatam]

An Embassy Employee is not the final authority as to whether or not the passport is in acceptable condition. The actual Customs Agent for each specific country that the passport is presented for entry has the final word. OP really should have it replaced.

 

While you are correct that FOREIGN Customs Agents have the final word entering THEIR country, there are so many variations with US passports on the number of pages, that an UN-OBVIOUS missing page should NOT present a problem. That's why I posted if the page is ripped out in an un-obvious manner, just take it out, don't leave it taped in there.

 

You can have extra pages put into your passport twice-no more. So while the standard passport has 24 pages, the new biometric passports have 28 pages. And you can order a new biometric passport with 52 pages. My older, non biometric passport is SUPPOSED to have 48 pages but only has 44. So unless a FOREIGN customs agent is really, really up to snuff and COUNTS the pages individually, how would they know a page was missing if it was NOT obvious? But a taped in, obvious page-you are correct. Could be rejected by a FOREIGN Customs agent.

[BlueRiband]

Of all the things out of my control that can go wrong on a trip having a passport in compliance is something which I can control. If it were me I'd get the passport replaced and not worry about "what if" some immigration agent doesn't like my repair job.

[Quasar1011]

Your relative is the poster child for government mandated replacement. The MAIN PAGE torn definitely requires a new passport. But the OP did not state it was the main page. And from the post, I am guessing it was one of the middle blank pages. Could be wrong but the OP did not state that it was a page with IMPORTANT info or a visa page.

 

It's not the main page with the information. It's a blank middle page. Sorry I didn't make that clear in my OP.

 

Methinks I will go ahead and get a new one, just to be safe. Thanks for the advice, all! :)

[sail7seas]

I can think of no reason I would not get a new passport were I the OP. There is more than enough time and the cost is not so significant, IMO, that one would stress and worry about being permitted entry. How much is your trip costing? How much does it cost to replace a passport?

 

You see my point though I realize there is no need for anyone to agree.

 

I would get a replacement passport in this circumstance.

 

Edited May 16, 2014 by sail7seas

[lady_cruiser]

Somehow a page got ripped out of my passport. My wife taped it back in. Is this going to be a problem for my next cruise?

 

I see you are traveling in less than 10 days. Just wanted to say I hope you get this resolved before your cruise.

[Mary Ellen]

I see you are traveling in less than 10 days. Just wanted to say I hope you get this resolved before your cruise.

He's sailing in 2015. Plenty of time to get this resolved.