Why you shouldn't leave with a ruined passport
If you are about to plan your next trip abroad and you think you have prepared everything to the best of your ability, you better give [...]
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If you're about to plan your next trip abroad and think you've prepared everything to the best of your ability, you might want to take a look at the terms of your passport. Traveling with a ruined passport, in fact, is never a good idea. What happened in Thailand to a Scottish influencer, who was traveling with a passport without two pages, shows this.
Passport ruined, the story of Lacey Montgomery
The model and blogger Lacey Montgomery, once she arrived in Bangkok, where she was to hold a conference along with other influencers, she was detained at border control why His passport was missing two pages (Apparently, the pages in question had been torn because they were damaged by liquid a few years earlier).
Result? Lacey Montgomery remained blocked 24 hours in the Thai capital after she was denied entry into the country: twenty-four hours spent as a prisoner, locked in a room in the company of cockroaches. All documented by several Instagram posts later deleted.
However, the young Scottish woman had previously traveled to other countries in possession of the damaged passport without having had any kind of problem.
But this is not the only case of damaged passport issues. In June 2019, authorities in Bali arrested a'former Miss Universe contestant who traveled With a ruined document.
What does "damaged passport" mean?
But what is meant by damaged passport? Actually, interpretations vary from country to country. Some officers may let you pass, while others may consider detaining you. In any case, it's best not to risk it.
For example, according to the official rules of the U.S. Department of State, a spoiled passport loses its validity. If the document is significantly damaged, especially on the cover or on the page indicating personal information, it is a case of requesting a new one.
Also according to the U.S. Department of State, the damages that can result in a passport reissue are those caused by water, one significant tear, unofficial signs on the data page, missing (torn) visa pages, holes or other damage.
Everything is motivated by the security: border agents want and need to make sure that the passport has not been tampered with or copied, and sometimes damage is a sign of this.
When a damaged passport could cause you to miss your next vacation
Let's take the United Kingdom as an example, where cases of travelers being denied departure because of damaged passports is really high. According to the British Passport Office, a spoiled passport cannot be considered valid for travel identification purposes.
But what are the document damage That could cause you to miss your flight according to UK border offices? Below is the list:
- your personal information is difficult or impossible to read;
- the film on the data page (as if I had replaced the photo);
- there are signs of fading or discoloration on the personal data page;
- the passport is stained on any page with ink, makeup or other substances;
- some pages are missing, torn or detached;
- The passport chip shows signs of damage.
Such damage can prevent you from traveling, not only to and from the UK, but also to many other states. The advice? Check your passport thoroughly before planning your next trip.
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