CallusOfMedinus

Hi y'all! I'm new here but have run into some travel woes and was hoping for advice.

I've just gotten back stateside from 3 months in Israel and will be going to Lebanon for the month of July. I made sure to have no traces of Israel in my passport since I know any hint will deny me entry into Lebanon. I even went to Jordan for a few days and made sure not to get any stamps there. Everything was fine until I got back into the US and they gave me an entry stamp. For all my planning, I didn't even think of that! So now I have no entry and exit stamps from any countries, but I have an entry stamp from the US. To me, looking from the perspective of a Lebanese border agent, that's suspicious.

So I have two questions. One, is this indeed a problem? And two, I have read that you can have 2 passports for this specific reason, although the second one may only be valid for a few years. But when I talked to the passport agency, they said they would treat it as a renewal and my first passport will not be valid when I get my second one. I plan on frequent travel to the Middle East and Israel. It's a $110 fee every time you want a new passport, not including the expedited fee. I can't imagine this is the only solution.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

Elkaz

There are many countries that do not stamp you when you enter and exit them. I do not see a problem. If you want to avoid the US stamp, join the global entry program. Then you don't deal with an agent--just a machine AND you get in and out fast. It cost$$ so google Global Entry.

sandi

Believe the OP wants to avoid the Israeli stamp if visiting other Middle Eastern Countries (except Jordan and Egypt).
But do check out the details re Global Entry.

Elkaz

Sandi reread what the OP wrote. He has no foreign stamps in his passport. He is concerned about an entry stamp from the US!

BTW Israel no longer stamps. They give EVERYONE who previously got their Visa on arrival ,a separate entry and exit VISA. This has been going on since January 2011.

hank54

I have found that France often does not stamp US passports on exit and sometimes does not stamp on entry either, so in the unlikely event that the Lebanese-busybodies ask where you've been, just say Paris.

sandi

Few, if any of the Euro countries stamp passports.... you actually have to ask for one and then watch the agent go looking for a stamp... rather funny
So, you can just as easily say Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Berlin, etc.