Damaged Passport

[justaphase]

My British passport has the first page (the serrated one) out. By which i mean loose in there.

Do you think it will be ok to fly out?

I have 5 months overstay too....

Or pay for new passport, cos i have to wait 3 weeks to fly anyway?

Advice?

[harrry]

New passport....will take more than 3 weeks/

You may be able to get an Emergency travel Document from the UK Embassy quicker. You will still havve the overstay problem.

[justaphase]

I mean ive got to wait a minimum of 3 weeks to fly.

I can go whenever.

Shouldn't be more than a month should it?

[lopburi3]

You can not obtain a UK passport in Thailand - you must apply by mail and seems to take 4-5 weeks for some (most). You could obtain an emergency travel document from Embassy valid for a short period but if flying back to UK the torn page will likely not be a problem if you replace before any further travel. But admit I do not know what that page is or contains or why it would be serrated. If the data page suspect passport would not be accepted by anyone unless can prove by other means it belongs with that passport.

[justaphase]

Just going out to clear my overstay... Penang and back..

The facing page missing is just a preface really. All the info is at the back in a UK pp.

[Ohyesuare]

A damaged passport and overstay might get you a lot of scrutiny, but the longer you wait to clear your overstay also puts you at risk. If it were me I would get a new passport before travelling just to be safe, you don't want to pay for the flight and then have issues when you are already on overstay,

[tombkk]

Just going out to clear my overstay... Penang and back..

The facing page missing is just a preface really. All the info is at the back in a UK pp.

Note that you are in for jail time if caught with overstay. The only exception is you are at departure at the airport (but not when on the way to the airport).

The passport might have been rendered invalid due to the damage, it depends on the extent. Better check with your embassy before trying to use it for departure.

A temporary travel document (if your passport is really unusable) will usually be good for a trip home. Better check with your embassy. -

The German embassy will issue a national passport (green; unlike the EU passports) within one day, amd that would be valid for all countries but with a validity of one year only. If you are lucky, the British embassy has something similar.

This wouls solve the passport problem but you will still have to face the music for thre overstay.

[Ginkas]

Just checked my UK passport.

There is no 'serrated' page, but the pages are stitched together.

If one page is 'torn' from the passport the stitching holes would make it look as if it had been serrated.

The first page is the other 'half' of the details page at the back.

If the first page is completely detached the details page will become loose.

At that point the passport becomes totally invalid.

The more the passport is handled the more likely it is the page will detach.

The main problems you face are that:

1. Malaysian immigration may not let you in with a damaged passport;

2. Either send you back OR hold you in detention until the British Embassy in KL sort the problem out.

3. Thai immigration may not allow you back in OR hold you in detention until the British Embassy in BKK sort things out.

Get a new passport!

Having a damaged passport (not simply renewing) the British Embassy may be able to expedite.

[lopburi3]

The UK Embassy has nothing to do with new passport issue - only a temporary passport could be obtained from Embassy. But it is highly unlikely any Consulate will issue a new visa if they see passport damaged and it seems poster is on extended overstay so wait for new passport is unlikely to mean more than the fine he already owes (but does slightly increase risk if found out). But it appears he needs a new passport of some type if not intending to return to UK.

[Soutpeel]

_{Next time dont put it in the washing machine,...Thailand seems to become a hub of washed passports}