I've been on the Gov website but it looks like they dont consider staple holes on a page as damaged.

Quote

HM Passport Office will consider your passport damaged if:

• you cannot read any of your details

• any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing

• there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover

• the cover is coming away

• there are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage)

Now I'm in two minds about changing mine.

For the last 2 years, I have flown with Emirates, Qatar, Thai, Lufthansa and Norse, and this was the first reaction to my passport. Before that I have been a diver who brought my passport everywhere also when diving, kayaking, sup padling because of going in to water between countries, and my passport have been water damaged, and sometimes loose in the pages, but not one time been asked to get a new one. So it is quite new for me. I got as said one and half kg to much in one bag, and the bags was a little bit over dimensioned, so I might had triggered something because of that, and maybe because she was in her 40ies,, and me going to Bangkok, ? She just had a bad day, and we can speculate about why, but the rules is clear as far I know, there should be no holes in the passport, so I guess thats my responsibility, even Im not the one who do it. Especially when it is me who trying to check in to a flight, and not the immigration.

One easy thing that I do that I highly recommend is that when you receive your passport back with stuff stapled in as happens to me every extension (but as we have now been informed that is not at all typical!) is to remove the staples from the last time. Then you can either put the previously stapled stuff back with clips or don't include them at all (a separate topic). Then the real risk of immigration roughly ripping out stuff that was previously stapled causing tears is prevented. In my experience unlike another report, is that even if there are clips that I put there, they will still staple new stuff in as usual.

On 2/20/2026 at 8:10 AM, DrJack54 said:

That's one immigration office and does things in the Jomtiem way.

Fortunately not typical.

Try visiting Khon Kaen. You will find staples are easier quicker and cheaper that paper clips. When politely asked not to use staples, the venomous look I got from the IO was worse than any snake. And he still used a staple.

I have stated here recently, the passport is the property of the issuing government and it is illegal to deface it.

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

One easy thing that I do that I highly recommend is that when you receive your passport back with stuff stapled in as happens to me every extension (but as we have now been informed that is not at all typical!) is to remove the staples from the last time. Then you can either put the previously stapled stuff back with clips or don't include them at all (a separate topic). Then the real risk of immigration roughly ripping out stuff that was previously stapled causing tears is prevented. In my experience unlike another report, is that even if there are clips that I put there, they will still staple new stuff in as usual.

I going for my return now after the weekend, and will tell them at my office, and see what they say. I will buy a cover with a pocket for my passport from now and ask them kindly to only use that one. Shouldn't be necessary for any more staples since they do it when Im watching for my 90 days, and do not need to handover for picking up later. Visa extension, they do not staple anything, so no more staples for now.

6 minutes ago, Hummin said:

. Shouldn't be necessary for any more staples since they do it when Im watching for my 90 days, and do not need to handover for picking up later. Visa extension, they do not staple anything, so no more staples for now.

Seems some folk have no option in sense of 90 report stapled in pp away from pp owner.

Fact is NOTHING needs to be stapled into pp.

Also nothing such as TM47, TM6, TM30 + any random payment receipts needs to be in passport.

Some countries immigration re pp is levels above Thailand.

Google issues with Bali immigration and some might be more concerned re random immigration offices in Thailand being staple happy.

I'm glad I deal with CW.

15 Years never a staple (that I can recall)

17 minutes ago, Surasak said:

Try visiting Khon Kaen. You will find staples are easier quicker and cheaper that paper clips. When politely asked not to use staples, the venomous look I got from the IO was worse than any snake. And he still used a staple.

I have stated here recently, the passport is the property of the issuing government and it is illegal to deface it.

Yes.

Immigration officers have awesome life changing power (if denied) over us mere foreigners. It's basically insane to even come close to it being perceived as being disrespectful to them.

I've never had any issues with papers stapled into my passport, which used to be a lot more common when the paper arrival cards were still being used both in Thailand and in some neighboring countries.

One thing I've always done and I think it's important: I always remove the staples myself, carefully, instead of risking that someone else rips out the papers at some point without any care in the world. Just the tiny staple holes as such cannot be considered damage by any stretch of the imagination.

On 2/19/2026 at 11:07 PM, novacova said:

Use paper clips, keep enough for the 90day receipt, tm30 and a couple extra.

I don't keep the 90 day or TM30 or the the 17 year old departure card in my passport. I keep them in a separate envelop. If I go to immigration I give them the envelop with the documents.

Problem is, if you apply for a COR at Immigration, the first thing they do is staple a TM30 into your passport. And if I'm not mistaken they staple the 90-day reporting too. I can't help thinking it's a Thai thing to staple passports. If I remember right even visa agencies stapled some invoices related to visa extensions into the passport.

It's time embassies raised the issue with Thai Immigration.

12 minutes ago, JackGats said:

Problem is, if you apply for a COR at Immigration, the first thing they do is staple a TM30 into your passport. And if I'm not mistaken they staple the 90-day reporting too. I can't help thinking it's a Thai thing to staple passports. If I remember right even visa agencies stapled some invoices related to visa extensions into the passport.

It's time embassies raised the issue with Thai Immigration.

Maybe we all should send a complaint to our embassy here in Thailand! Could be a uniform signature from AN to all embassies coming from one umbrella forum or organisation who works for better conditions for us?

13 minutes ago, JackGats said:

Problem is, if you apply for a COR at Immigration, the first thing they do is staple a TM30 into your passport. And if I'm not mistaken they staple the 90-day reporting too. I can't help thinking it's a Thai thing to staple passports. If I remember right even visa agencies stapled some invoices related to visa extensions into the passport.

It's time embassies raised the issue with Thai Immigration.

Possibly. Although the actual problem seems to be with airlines. Perhaps a bit of guidance in their direction wouldn't go amiss.

What infuriates me, Thais make an orgy of plastic for everything. Why don't they use zip-lock plastic bags wherein to put each passport with any accompanying paperwork?

40 minutes ago, JackGats said:

Problem is, if you apply for a COR at Immigration, the first thing they do is staple a TM30 into your passport. And if I'm not mistaken they staple the 90-day reporting too. I can't help thinking it's a Thai thing to staple passports. If I remember right even visa agencies stapled some invoices related to visa extensions into the passport.

It's time embassies raised the issue with Thai Immigration.

Yeah Jomtien stapled my TM30 because they check it every year

This thred does my head in.

Fact is stapling various things into pp is a Thai thing.

I posted that zero necessity to have anything attached to pp.

Certainly not stapled.

Various examples such as TM47 reminder.

Now defunct TM6.

Along with TM30 etc

The added one was previously jomtien also attached a nonsense request to attend immigration 3 month after extension granted.

Seems obsolete now.

13 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yeah Jomtien stapled my TM30 because they check it every year

So they would not accept you providing a TM30 separate from your passport. Comical

5 hours ago, orchidfan said:

I think that my one was free from a Travel agent (shows how old it is).

I did consider it was probably a good place to slip in 'ha pun baht' should the need ever arise...but it never has ....at least not at airports 😜

I got mine free from Maneerat, mainly for them to be able to put in a slip reminding me when my next 90 day report & extension are due, but also has their contact details in there.

Comes in handy as I keep my TM30 in the back (and my UK Credit Card in the front). I know I don't need to carry the TM30 around with me but it means I always know where it is for when I do need it & it comes in handy when I need to provide my address, much easier for the person needing my address to see the official address then the address as I would explain it.

1 hour ago, JackGats said:

What infuriates me, Thais make an orgy of plastic for everything. Why don't they use zip-lock plastic bags wherein to put each passport with any accompanying paperwork?

There is a chance that they would use such bags when and if it ever occurred to the dimwits in our home countries who are responsible for issuing new passports to provide them in the first place!

9 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

So they would not accept you providing a TM30 separate from your passport. Comical

They probably think they are helping, they need it for every extension, needs copying, maybe falang lose it

My subjective conclusion about this issue as far as stapler holes on back pages of passports.

Regardless of any official nationality rules about no holes, I think there is a 99 percent plus chance that such holes will not be a problem.

If the holes become a large tear even in back pages, I would be more worried.

If your passport gets so full that there is not an unholy page for travel stamps, then it's likely time to replace the passport.

Cheers.

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

My subjective conclusion about this issue as far as stapler holes on back pages of passports.

Regardless of any official nationality rules about no holes, I think there is a 99 percent plus chance that such holes will not be a problem.

If the holes become a large tear even in back pages, I would be more worried.

If your passport gets so full that there is not an unholy page for travel stamps, then it's likely time to replace the passport.

Cheers.

I already booked time for next trip to renew my passport. 4 years earlier than needed, so ? I could gamble this was an single event, but, who knows next time they want to make an example of you.

I will send photos of the passport to Norse today, and await their explanation of their policy about passport and staple holes.

It was like pulling teeth getting the full story from the author.

51 minutes ago, Suetape said:

It was like pulling teeth getting the full story from the author.

Have received so many shumbs down etc in this thread.

Along with mindless laugh emoji

The fact is nothing should be stapled into pp.

One guy posted that's its illegal

Laugh if you wish however that is fact..

It's a Thai specific gig.

With several small (removed) staple holes you will not have an issue entering Thailand.

Some places eg Bali can be ultra strict. That's when potential problem can arise.

On 2/19/2026 at 8:52 PM, Jingthing said:

Easier said than done!

No, stand your ground and say NO TO STAPLES.

On 2/21/2026 at 4:54 PM, DrJack54 said:

Also nothing such as TM47, TM6,

What is a TM6 please?

15 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

What is a TM6 please?

It's the old arrival/departure card.

21 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

No, stand your ground and say NO TO STAPLES.

When you hand over your passport also point to a pre position paper clip that you have already placed there!

Over the last 12 months, my experience is that the TM30 desk and the TM47 (90-day) desk at Jomtien appear to have switched from stapling to using paper clips. Yippee. Previous passports were full of staple holes from Sri Racha and Jomtien and even Suan Phlu going back.

A new passport damage threat appears to be the Siam Commercial Bank. The clerk there blanked out "unnecessary" information using low-adhesive sticky tape before taking photos and then removing the tape. There was the possibility he would take half the page with it (which didn't happen thankfully). I warned him not to damage the passport when I saw the sticky tape get stuck to the page. He seemed very confident there would be no damage. I was not so confident.

Marcus (26) ended up in a cell in Thailand: –⁠ Don't know what could have happened
Marcus Haavik (26) had unknowingly torn out a page from the back of his passport. Now he is detained in a wretched cell at Phuket airport for an indefinite period.


at passport control they opened my passport and leafed through it, and there was clearly a page at the back of the passport that had been torn out, something I have never seen myself. I don't know what could have happened, says Marcus.

The person at passport control reportedly said that the passport was out of order, and that Marcus was not allowed to enter the country

Will update if there is any news in English, or sure there will be an article on the forum

https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/vrem15/marcus-26-havnet-paa-celle-i-thailand-vet-ikke-hva-som-kan-ha-skjedd

On 2/22/2026 at 6:49 PM, wil iam not said:

No, stand your ground and say NO TO STAPLES.

I can't stand my ground as that would mean sleeping over at the immigration office.