prism Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Passport fees are going up everywhere, an Aussie friend of mine has to get his passport renewed, theirs are over 230 US$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanyaburi Mac Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 I have about 14 empty pages now. Is there a requirement to have a certain low number to get pages added? maybe I should get some now before the price change. Go ahead and give it a shot. I just got back from Wireless Road with my new pages inserted for FREE, had nine pages remaining but that wasn't even questioned. Mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passport220 Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Why on earth would someone criticize the OP for posting useful information? Screw the haters! I need more pages in my passport (down to my last blank page) but was dragging my feet to get to the the US Embassy to have it done. Does someone think it makes the wise, cool or cleaver to pay for something that they can have done for free? I will go to the embassy in the next day or so and then enjoy a fine night out in Bangkok with the $82 I save. Big ups to the OP! Thank you for taking the time to post useful information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwilem Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Yes, thanks to the OP misterjag, for the info, this is real 'news you can use'. Put in my passport for its second set of extra pages a couple days back, the first set of added pages has only five blanks left. The passport is not even four years old. What is really a drag these days are the short-visit tourist visas that take up an entire page. That even factors into the decision of where to make a border run. For just a 'turnaround' run, and if circumstances/planning permit, I find three points in favor of the Mae Sai-Tachilek run. One, no prior visa is needed to cross over. Two, you get a reasonable-size stamp from the Tachilek immigration on the passport page. That means you can still use that page for other stamps, as opposed to the page-size stickers for Cambodia. (And maybe the Laos visa also takes up a page?) And three, the cost for crossing over there is cheaper. 500 baht, or a crisp (important) U.S. $10 bill. It's a very easy DIY run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurfRider Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 . Any U.S. Citizen can express their opinions on the fee increase via eMail to the Government, but it must be done by March 11 Put RIN (1400-AC58) in the Subject line and address it to fees @ state.gov http://www.travel.state.gov/news/press/press_4660.html . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilrob Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Part of the problem is the wasteful design of the current US passport. The current regular passport contains only 17 visa pages (pages 8 to 24). If the space in the passport were used better, it would not be necessary to add pages so often, which would save time and money both for consulate staff and passport holders. As an example, by way of comparison, a regular UK passport of similar size contains 27 visa pages---60% more than the US passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I believe there are two versions of the UK passport and none allow extra pages to be added so it is a new passport when full. As for waste believe it is the lawyers again as about 4 pages have to be devoted to informing the user of requirements and it is not really very large type. As most US passports likely do not obtain stamps for the majority of travel suspect that has a lot to do with the normal size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilrob Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I believe there are two versions of the UK passport and none allow extra pages to be added so it is a new passport when full. As for waste believe it is the lawyers again as about 4 pages have to be devoted to informing the user of requirements and it is not really very large type. As most US passports likely do not obtain stamps for the majority of travel suspect that has a lot to do with the normal size. I'm sure you are right that most US passport holders do not use most of the pages. However, for those who do, there are some easy things the government could do to improve the passport. At present, for example, the inside front and back covers are unused (except for pictures) and three whole pages are given over to space for "endorsements". How many "endorsements" are in the average passport? I've never had one in a US passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK-Mike Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 How often do you really need to do get a new passport or add pages? In the grand scheme of things they just added like $0.05 a month to your citizenship. Deal with it. I get a new passport every ten years, but I always have to add extra pages at some point during those ten years which means my ten year passport will now cost $217.00 instead of $100 not a big deal but that is more than a 100% increase. Thanks Obama, the worst ever. And by the way deal with it, that comes to 97.5 cents per month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmaveric Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Well might be cheaper just get new passport? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakachalet Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I have about 14 empty pages now. Is there a requirement to have a certain low number to get pages added? maybe I should get some now before the price change. Go ahead and give it a shot. I just got back from Wireless Road with my new pages inserted for FREE, had nine pages remaining but that wasn't even questioned. Mac MAC i call you a bluff.... prove it.... that you can get additional pages.... for free of charge..... we are all ears.... not that we are envious or anything like that.... but that we all mighty curious just WHO attached those additional pages to your personal passport for free.... thx in advance mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurfRider Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 . "prove it.... that you can get additional pages.... for free of charge" According to an Embassy official, he's correct - currently additional pages are free -- here are three examples of proposed increases: Extra pages added to your passport will go from zero now to $82. A Notary stamp will increase from $30 to $50 New Passports will cost $135, and children $105. Any U.S. Citizen can express their opinions via eMail to the Government, until March 11 Put RIN (1400-AC58) in the Subject line and address it to fees @ state.gov . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakachalet Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 ."prove it.... that you can get additional pages.... for free of charge" According to an Embassy official, he's correct - currently additional pages are free -- here are three examples of proposed increases: Extra pages added to your passport will go from zero now to $82. A Notary stamp will increase from $30 to $50 New Passports will cost $135, and children $105. Any U.S. Citizen can express their opinions via eMail to the Government, until March 11 Put RIN (1400-AC58) in the Subject line and address it to fees @ state.gov SurfRider and Mac may i ask.... which embassy official and at which location.... who gave you the official word that--currently additional pages are freee.... he is definitely and absolulte quite incorrect.... you all had better read for yourself what the official doc stated on page 3 of 6.... under EXTRA VISA PAGES.... unless and until the following condition is fulfilled.... the additional pages are NOT FREE OF CHARGE.... and i quote-- IN CASES WHERE ALL VISA PAGES OF A VALID PASSPORT HAVE BEEN USED, EXTRA PAGES CAN BE ADDED TO YOUR PASSPORT AT NO COST, WHILE YOU WAIT. PLEASE ALLOW ONE HOUR FOR THIS PROCESS.... unless perhaps, you know someone in there who could provide you a free service.... that is great.... and i surely have no complaint.... but instead i am very happy that someone is able to receive free services from our consulate.... cheers (the above pages were download from the official site of the embassy.... in thailand) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 The increase, along with a new fee of $82 to add visa pages to passport books, could take effect within weeks after the required public-comment period on the proposal ends March 11. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/redirect.php...ent-def-6492%2F Nakachalet: You have posted "AT NO COST". Suggest you read again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakachalet Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 The increase, along with a new fee of $82 to add visa pages to passport books, could take effect within weeks after the required public-comment period on the proposal ends March 11. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/redirect.php...ent-def-6492%2F Nakachalet: You have posted "AT NO COST". Suggest you read again. lopburi3 that is exactly what it stated on page 3.... at no cost.... but that was the response to the post that said.... the poster has several blank pages left (6?) and that, irrespectively, the staff at the visa section attached new pages to the passport free of charge.... which seemed altogether dubious and contrary to the established existing departmental policy. actually, it was quite alright if someone could get the service for free.... but then i just wish to point out what was posted on the board in front of window 2 inside the embassy.... and what the printed policy stated.... i really do not wish to nor want to.... win a point or win an argument--am too old and senile already.... lol it is quite alright with me really.... whatever one wants to believe.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurfRider Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 . "may i ask.... which embassy official and at which location" My information came from an Embassy Warden who is a liaison for all information coming from the Bangkok ACS to the Expat community. I won't give you his name because I don't have his permission. "the above pages were download from the official site of the embassy" I wouldn't automatically assume that all information on the Embassy website is current or accurate. A few months ago, their data on Visa extensions for purposes of retirement was hopelessly out of date. I don't know if it's been updated since then. It's also possible that they're simply not enforcing the "all visa pages have been used" rule. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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