brewsterbudgen Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I've had so many slips of paper stapled and then removed from inside my passport (90 day report slips, arrival/departure cards) that the corner of one page in particular has become very torn and could easily come off altogether. Unfortunately it's the page with my "permitted to stay to" stamp (I have an Extension until 30 November 2016). Can I apply a small piece of clear tape on the back of the page (which is blank) to repair it and ensure that it doesn't come off? Or would this be classed as defacing or tampering with the passport? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhodie Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Just do it. I don't think you will have any problems especially if it is still attached. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 It doesn't look too torn that it is about to come off, there is still alot joined so I personally wouldn't worry about it ..... mine has dozens of holes and tiny tears but is still in-tacked ..... I'm sure you will be fine just to put a small piece of clear sticky tape on the next page to stop it coming off. If you must do it just don't make it large and obvious and you will be ok. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ubonjoe Posted March 22, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted March 22, 2016 A little bit of transparent tape will take care of that. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R123 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) I agree with Joe. I have gotten fed up with the way immigration staple (often violently) pieces of paper into my passport causing similar damage and mutilation of passport pages; so I try to get them not to use their staplers. I have a Brit passport and likely and luckily damage as per the OP's picture would be classed as "fair wear and tear" as the UK web site says: "A damaged passport is one which is not in a condition to be accepted as proof of identity. Damage may include the following:• Details are indecipherable.• The laminate has lifted enough to allow the possibility of photo substitution.• Discoloration to the biodata page.• Chemical or ink spillage on any page.• Missing or detached pages• The chip or antenna shows through the endpaper on the back cover for the new style e-passports.• The chip has been identified as damaged following investigation." So if i read the above definition correctly the OP's passport as it stands and even with some transparent tape would not -according to the UK definition- be classified as a damaged passport. Of course we do not know which country the cited passport emanates from but i guess the principle is the same. Edited March 22, 2016 by R123 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyjim5 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 A damaged passport is one that an IO determines is unacceptable. Usually if the data page is intact together with important visas/stamps a passport will be accepted if any "damage" is minor and can be attributed to fair wear & tear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Thanks chaps. It's a UK passport and I'll secure the corner with a small piece of clear tape. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Thanyaburi Mac Posted March 22, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted March 22, 2016 I don't mind the staple securing the Departure Card, but I do remove it prior to going through Immigration, just for the reasons mentioned, preventing a torn page. Mac 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Scotsh have a tape who is almost invisble when used ...., is a little blurred looking on the roll , but clear and not glossy when applied , almost not visible 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay1 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Yeah the holes in pages due to staples is annoying! I now use paper clips for my 90 day reporting as I do it online and print it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonewolf99 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I tried to stop them by giving them a paper clip and they just kept the clip and stapled the arrival card in it....... Other times I gently used a proper staple remover and paper clipped the form in after smoothing the holes the staples made. If you think about it ? if you grabbed someone else personal documents and treated them in the same manner you might get a slap at the side of the head. But since they have the stamp and the power plus a chest full of pointless medals they can treat your possession like dirt. I don't think I ever had a UK customs officer slap the passport back down on the counter, they always give it back into your hand. All the time calmly checking for furtiveness and a guilty look.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dublin Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Do not touch it ,,, the will say you are trying to hide something, just sandwich the damaged sheet between the page before and after with a paper clip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Do not touch it ,,, the will say you are trying to hide something, just sandwich the damaged sheet between the page before and after with a paper clip. Why would they think he was hiding something? Using transparent tape it could be seen it was to repair a small tear to prevent further damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bark Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Just do it. I don't think you will have any problems especially if it is still attached. The tape will make it stronger for the next immigration and customs guy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepper1959 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 As a retired JP, I would say it is a legal document and you do not have the authority to touch the document. The Immigration Dept are conducting legal business with the staples and the damage that occurs is a necessary by-product of the process. Ultimately, if the page does break off, it would be just advisable to keep it and if questioned, then show the piece that has come off. Then there can be no claims of tampering. I do not think that some people really understand the absolute importance of a pp and the condition that it should be maintained and its legal importance to each person. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 As a retired JP, I would say it is a legal document and you do not have the authority to touch the document. The Immigration Dept are conducting legal business with the staples and the damage that occurs is a necessary by-product of the process. Ultimately, if the page does break off, it would be just advisable to keep it and if questioned, then show the piece that has come off. Then there can be no claims of tampering. I do not think that some people really understand the absolute importance of a pp and the condition that it should be maintained and its legal importance to each person. If so important ...., then the officers should also be more professional to handle them ......retired jP ...or not needed for them to respect the soooo importance ..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 As a retired JP, I would say it is a legal document and you do not have the authority to touch the document. The Immigration Dept are conducting legal business with the staples and the damage that occurs is a necessary by-product of the process. Ultimately, if the page does break off, it would be just advisable to keep it and if questioned, then show the piece that has come off. Then there can be no claims of tampering. I do not think that some people really understand the absolute importance of a pp and the condition that it should be maintained and its legal importance to each person. Putting a small piece of tape on small tear is tampering. That's a bit absurd. Better than letting it fall off. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza40 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I have a torn page in my passport through rough treatment. I've left it as is because there's no risk of it falling off. I'd agree a small amount of transparent tape should be no big deal. So, they could not use the next page if it's such a drama? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saenchai Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I would tape it... I had exactly the same problem just that the page with the scratch was on a completely empty page with no data written on it. After a while a small piece was torn out (1 cm, maybe not even that). Believe me, you won't want to have the problem that came up because of this. I better had taped it... because arriving at airport with this they didn't want to accept it and wanted to deny entry to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeseeker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) As a retired JP, I would say it is a legal document and you do not have the authority to touch the document. The Immigration Dept are conducting legal business with the staples and the damage that occurs is a necessary by-product of the process. Ultimately, if the page does break off, it would be just advisable to keep it and if questioned, then show the piece that has come off. Then there can be no claims of tampering. I do not think that some people really understand the absolute importance of a pp and the condition that it should be maintained and its legal importance to each person. "retired JP" may have a point; but then again I do not believe the Thai Immigration have any right to damage pages in foreign passports and therefore an attempt to prevent further damage by way of a small amount of transparent tape ought to be fully justified. Maybe the Thai immigration should be asked to attach the tape into the passport to correct their error! .As it stands with or without the tape and in my opinion the passport is valid. Edited March 22, 2016 by homeseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraserman Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 5 years ago, the first page of m passport fell off and the lady at the boarding gate taped it back into it. When I arrived in Bali, I was questioned almost 1hr about my passport and what happened to it. They thought I replaced the first page but I told them I did not, it just fell off because of the bad quality of it -and the way it is handled by immigration, check in / boarding staff... I asked them to compare the passport number on the first page with the number on each page. They did not care, they wanted to send me back to HKG as my passport looks suspicious. I convinced them finally to let me into the country since I was invited to a wedding but advised me to get a new passport ASAP. I will not "repair" anything anymore but will get a new passport immediately once a page is significantly damaged/almost comes off -which I did last year before flying to the US. Being treated like a potential drug dealer or terrorist is something to avoid, especially nowadays... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MockingJay Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyjim5 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 5 years ago, the first page of m passport fell off and the lady at the boarding gate taped it back into it. When I arrived in Bali, I was questioned almost 1hr about my passport and what happened to it. They thought I replaced the first page but I told them I did not, it just fell off because of the bad quality of it -and the way it is handled by immigration, check in / boarding staff... I asked them to compare the passport number on the first page with the number on each page. They did not care, they wanted to send me back to HKG as my passport looks suspicious. I convinced them finally to let me into the country since I was invited to a wedding but advised me to get a new passport ASAP. I will not "repair" anything anymore but will get a new passport immediately once a page is significantly damaged/almost comes off -which I did last year before flying to the US. Being treated like a potential drug dealer or terrorist is something to avoid, especially nowadays... Which country issues passports of such poor quality that pages just fall out ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) Obviously how significant the damage may is open to interpretation, but according to the US State Dept. (no mention of DIY restoration projects). My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport? If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you will need to apply for a new passport. Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries. Normal wear of a U.S. passport is expected and likely does not constitute "damage." For instance normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/FAQs.html Edited March 22, 2016 by Suradit69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkv Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) 5 years ago, the first page of m passport fell off...The first page falling off is not similar to a small corner of a visa page being broken.PS: Yes, as described above, it's not a significant tear (the corner of the visa page). Edited March 22, 2016 by lkv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyjim5 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 According to the US State Dept. My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport? If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo, you will need to apply for a new passport. Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries. Normal wear of a U.S. passport is expected and likely does not constitute "damage." For instance normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing. https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/FAQs.html Similar advice is given by all Western countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 I don't think the damage to my passport is a "significant tear", as the page is still in tact despite the holes. By placing a small piece of clear tape on the opposite page, which doesn't cover any stamp, it will stop the tear getting worse and the corner of the page coming off completely. I'm due to travel in a couple of weeks and as the damaged page contains my current permission to stay stamp, it's likely to get a fair bit of attention. If it tears off any further I think I will have more problems than by repairing the tear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay1 Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) I don't think the damage to my passport is a "significant tear", as the page is still in tact despite the holes. By placing a small piece of clear tape on the opposite page, which doesn't cover any stamp, it will stop the tear getting worse and the corner of the page coming off completely. I'm due to travel in a couple of weeks and as the damaged page contains my current permission to stay stamp, it's likely to get a fair bit of attention. If it tears off any further I think I will have more problems than by repairing the tear.Agreed. If it comes off altogether then big problems. Can't see it being an issue putting a small bit of clear tape at the back, a lot less of an issue anyway if the thing tears off altogether!!Edit: typo Edited March 22, 2016 by Jay1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdido Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 As a retired JP, I would say it is a legal document and you do not have the authority to touch the document. The Immigration Dept are conducting legal business with the staples and the damage that occurs is a necessary by-product of the process. Ultimately, if the page does break off, it would be just advisable to keep it and if questioned, then show the piece that has come off. Then there can be no claims of tampering. I do not think that some people really understand the absolute importance of a pp and the condition that it should be maintained and its legal importance to each person. If so important ...., then the officers should also be more professional to handle them ......retired jP ...or not needed for them to respect the soooo impor ....these ' shoulds ' are pointless posturings....just sayin'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonmarleesco Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Probably too late, but you would be better doing it properly. There is a type of tissue paper that you paste onto the page and cut to fit. Bookbinding specialist, so you're more likely to get it from one of those, and if you have them do it, so much the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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