The moment you decide to fly abroad for business or a vacation, getting a valid passport is one of the first essential tasks you’ll need to perform. Unfortunately, wear and tear, as well as other unforeseen events, can happen, potentially damaging your passport. Here’s what you need to do if your passport is damaged before your trip.
According to the U.S. Department of State, there are two types of passport damage that are considered. The first is wear and tear, which could be bending, fraying, and fading, and basically ordinary wearing that happens to your belongings over time. On the other hand, there is “genuine damage,” which is damage that is out of the ordinary. This includes “stains from a liquid, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), or a hole punch,” as per the U.S. Department of State.
Should your passport be damaged, traveling with this passport is risky as it will be at the discretion of the border officials at the port of entry to determine if the passport is valid for admittance.
If you would rather avoid the risk of being turned away, make sure to apply for a new passport before your journey. Hand in your damaged passport with a “signed statement explaining the damaged or mutilated condition of your passport book and/or card,” as per the U.S. State Department’s instructions, along with Form DS-11.
