bartender100 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Done the ultimate stupid thing and put mine though the washing machine, its not falling apart but visa stamps have faded or disappeared including my retirement/permission to stay Not really asking for advise, just a reminder to treat your passport like a piece of gold, and look after it well. I did notice a UK passport checking service in the office next to Jomtien immigration, has anyone used them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Get a new passport, your current one is no longer valid and using it to cross borders can lead to problems. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 LOL. Washed my wife's passport several years back - she wasn't impressed. You'll need a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailand J Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 "Done the ultimate stupid thing and put mine though the washing machine..." Always remember: Dry cleaning only.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloggie Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) Look at it positive, it smells good now especially if you use perfumed fabric softener Edited December 24, 2014 by Cloggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evadgib Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 As a last line of defence mine is in an A4 transparent sleeve to protect it against termites or water. I don't envy the OP. I hope others find this useful 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gk10002000 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I did it to mine, but fortunately I was still at home here in the US. I was able to get a new one just in time for my holiday plans. But, the local Post office here in California ( I was working away from my Florida home on a temporary contract) said NO, and that I had to go back to my home state of Florida to get a new passport. I reminded him this is the United States of America and any Federal office that issues Passports has no such restrictions. In fact, coincidentally when I got the first passport seven years before I also was working temporarily in California at the time. They gave me the passport. I found out I had to write a note on a piece of paper to request the old washed passport be returned to me. The guy said if you don't do that they won't give you back the old one. I had a lot of foreign travel in there that I wanted to keep a record of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wayned Posted December 25, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted December 25, 2014 I had a friend that alwyas followed the rules and carried his passport and work permit in his back pocket. After losing both once and having his wife wash them two times, all requring new documents, he finally decided that maybe carrying a copy was okay! Merry Christmas to all! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk213 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 OP, my passport has been into the sea twice. the first time my friend was very drunk and thought I had stolen his passport so he threw it off of the pier, soon to jump in and get it. The second I forgot I had it in my pocket and was wading in the water. My passport looks 20 years old but it is only 6, the visa stamp is pretty much unreadable, but I have never had an issue with it. I may have gotten lucky every 90 days since 2011 or maybe it is not too much of an issue? However I only have 2 pages left so I will have to get a nice new one soon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldiablo Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I went swimming once with my passport and afterwards the stamps faded. When I went to immigration for an extension the officer asked me what had happened amd I explained. He checked in his computer and then I was given my extention. No need for a new passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I went swimming once with my passport and afterwards the stamps faded. When I went to immigration for an extension the officer asked me what had happened amd I explained. He checked in his computer and then I was given my extention. No need for a new passport. Others might not be so forgiven. Especially when one goes to a border officials will be curies as to which information is missing, especially in the age of terrorism. That can lead to interrogation and being denied entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldiablo Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) Mario. I have been to Laos and also Cambodia by land using this passport and have just today used it for my extension at immigration. The passport is also missing the last page which came out during my swim in the ocean. I have never had an issue in the two years I have been using my washed up wrinkled passport. Just because information may not be directly viewed on your passport due to unforseen circumstances does not necessarily mean immigration is not able to view your history within their system. Edited December 25, 2014 by ldiablo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janpharma Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Besides of the passport that you can renew at your embassy, you also have to be concerned about your arrival/departure slip...take care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I sent my US passport through the wash once. After drying, no problem. I guess US "Colors don't run"... haha.... prefer going home in a box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlideRiceFC Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Washed mine three years ago as well. Faded the stamps but haven't had a problem using it. Been to several countries since as well as home and never had any trouble. When there's a stack of passports at immigration it's always easy to spot mine since it's the rattiest looking one in the bunch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario2008 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Mario. I have been to Laos and also Cambodia by land using this passport and have just today used it for my extension at immigration. The passport is also missing the last page which came out during my swim in the ocean. I have never had an issue in the two years I have been using my washed up wrinkled passport. Just because information may not be directly viewed on your passport due to unforseen circumstances does not necessarily mean immigration is not able to view your history within their system. That goes for Thai immigration, as your visa history is with Thailand. Other countries might not be so forgiven and you can never tell if you will have a problem or not, especially with a page missing. In some countries they will definately not be amused and you can expect problems. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laislica Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 As a last line of defence mine is in an A4 transparent sleeve to protect it against termites or water. I don't envy the OP. I hope others find this useful +1 But don't hold yer breath waiting for someone to say thanks LOL. I posted something like that recently and several TVF members testified to the fact that they got theirs wet and no problem. That's TV for you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk213 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 BASICALLY OP does not need to worry! If they have some kind of OCD head to Krungthep and get a new 1, end of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floater 7 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Where does one get this transparent sleeve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry123 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Besides of the passport that you can renew at your embassy, you also have to be concerned about your arrival/departure slip...take care... not the uk passport off to trendy house with it sent to uk if your lucky returned overall 2 months min Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) A move for a permanent, water-proof INK for stamps... I've had mine and the wife's passport in the washer as well.Soaked for an hour before finally getting washed. It was soaked together with her bag with her new iPad and iPod touch inside. Just wondering... Is indelible too expensive that immigration offices cannot buy it? Mine came out blotted and faded almost to the point that the information can't be read Waterproof ink could have made a world of difference (and being more careful wouldn't hurt either). I was able to dry it up but it eventually got replaced. I hope the immigration office can use a better ink for their stamps. Edited December 25, 2014 by sensei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeaBiGgiEs Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I intentionally put my USA passport in the microwave for 3-4 seconds to kill the RFID CHIP. Nobody is gonna track me, nor do I care to make it easy for immigration to save a few seconds as I walk and approach their desk. I'll wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recycler Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Happened to me twice and immigrations had no problem putting the stamps back, some jokes at entering the country that my passport was very clean ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldiablo Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 Mario. Laos,Cambodia,Thailand not to mention Vietnam,Canada, Singapore and America have never once in my travels been unforgiving with my passport except for the initial question posed by Thai immigration.By the time I'm ready to visit any of the unamused countries i will require a new passport not because it was wet but because it will be full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timebandit Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) Gold goes through the washer just fine. As a matter of fact it does just fine after 1000 years at the bottom of the ocean. Agitator bangs it up a bit but the manipulating government bangs it up too, but it's still there. I would think we all at one time or another have times of remiss behavior. You pretty much know the hoops to jump through. I think this may be easier than if it was lost or stolen. Remember this-- a renewed retirement visa extension and the 90 day check-in do not run the same time thread! When a retirement or other visa start at a given date this IS NOT the same date for your 90 day check-in. These are two seperate threads according to Chonburi immigration. These 90 days are from your last border crossing regardless of the fact that a week before you gave them the same information i.e. Address when you renewed your Visa extension. Don't forget to request a new notice of when your next 90 day is due stapled into the back page. Best Wishes for theNew Year As for the above post, been there, done that. Try doing that from China into Vietnam. Gets really lonely across the Friendship Bridge in Lao Cai when the soldier through the window doesn't understand the taped in added pages. Edited December 25, 2014 by Timebandit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJAS Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I intentionally put my USA passport in the microwave for 3-4 seconds to kill the RFID CHIP. Nobody is gonna track me, nor do I care to make it easy for immigration to save a few seconds as I walk and approach their desk. I'll wait. Strikes me as illegal tampering with your passport. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartender100 Posted December 25, 2014 Author Share Posted December 25, 2014 Thanks for all the comments, I took it yesterday to Jomtien immigration and they gave it the all clear, they can just see my retirement stamp, and told me not to worry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark4733 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) Coming to Thailand, I make the mistake of buying a leather pouch being sold in markets in Thailand, I had put, figure my picture inside, plastic pouch squarely melted on my picture, my passport is downright unreadable barely see it the first photo watermark, and all the bottom is black plastic. At the entrance of Laos, just minor glitch, it made me notice that my passport was invalid and that I could not go, ah ah, not funny, so I found the trick, not to border run, already, so it does not take me traitor, I paid the visa for Laos a month, and I kindly noted : made In Thailand I've traveled in Thailand, from Bangkok to Patong, Patong to Phuket, Phuket to Bangkok, Bangkok to Pattaya, Pattaya to Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai to Udon Thani, Udon Thani to Seka, Seka to Udon Thani, Udon Thani to Vientiane, Vientiane to Udon Thani, Udon Thani to Seka, 5 military checkpoints, borders, and I always say: Made In Thailand, some soldiers have even laught gutters! In Vientiane, I asked for a Tourist Visa 2 entrances, with photocopy of passport (before), photocopy of my French identity card inside. And I had obviously forgotten 500 Baht in the pouch No Problem Edited December 25, 2014 by mark4733 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcrab Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 I intentionally put my USA passport in the microwave for 3-4 seconds to kill the RFID CHIP. Nobody is gonna track me, nor do I care to make it easy for immigration to save a few seconds as I walk and approach their desk. I'll wait. Strikes me as illegal tampering with your passport. Strikes me as a waste of time microwaving the passport so that your government can't track you. I think the tinfoil helmet will make you stand out in any crowd! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony5 Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 A move for a permanent, water-proof INK for stamps... I've had mine and the wife's passport in the washer as well. Soaked for an hour before finally getting washed. It was soaked together with her bag with her new iPad and iPod touch inside. Just wondering... Is indelible too expensive that immigration offices cannot buy it? Mine came out blotted and faded almost to the point that the information can't be read Waterproof ink could have made a world of difference (and being more careful wouldn't hurt either). I was able to dry it up but it eventually got replaced. I hope the immigration office can use a better ink for their stamps. I hear instead they gone educate foreigners about laundry practices. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now