universitylad

I recently returned from a trip to the United Kingdon. While I was checking my bags in the US, the Delta counter agent noted that there was a crease through the ID page on my passport. It looks like at one time the corner had been dog-eared and the crease goes through the photo. The paper or lamination is not torn at all and I never thought anything of it before. I am pretty sure it was there when I traveled to Argentina and back in the spring. I think it just got folded at some point when putting it into my pocket. The counter agent said that she could deny boarding because of this 'crease' and I should be careful and get a new passport. She said she would "let me go" because I was going to the UK and not Mexico. However, she said, that if my plane was headed to Mexico she would not let me go because I would likely be turned away in Mexico because of this crease. My passport is not all that old and I still have aboutr 6 years before it expires. Should I worry about this? Do I need to get a new passport? I worried most of the plane ride to the UK that I would be turned away at the boarder, but no one except that one desk agent has ever even batted and eye or mentioned it.

rkkwan

I wouldn't worry until you actually get stopped by an immigration officer somewhere. Airline agents are known to make things up...

mrwunrfl

Immigration officers can make things up too. I saw a show where there was a Nigerian guy coming from Nigeria, connecting at Heathrow, and heading to the USA. His passport was ratty and not up to whatever standard the immigration officer deemed acceptable. He was questioned and put in a cell overnight while they contacted authorities in Nigeria. They let the guy go after they got the good word from Nigeria.

I started taking better care of my pp after that.

qwovadis

I tend to get my passport a little sweaty worn folded and

odiferous from being in my money belt on long treks

and have been hassled about it it does not scan well

Lots of third world countries in particular hassle me

for worn dog eared folded passports also they are that

way with money too..

I always replace soggy worn folded passports at my convenience

It does not cost that much and saves me many hassles.

New USD no folds creases tears also same thing...

julia1

Airline agents do have the power to deny you boarding for an international flight if they think you will be denied entrance to the destination country on arrival, because the airline must bear the cost of returning you to your departure airport. You may be able to argue your way into being allowed to fly, but your flight may have departed in the meantime. Is it worth the hassle?

rkkwan

Yes, airline agents have power. But you also have the right to ask for a supervisor and argue your case. Yes, it is a hassle, but getting a new passport is not hassle- or cost-free either.

AlessandraZoe

All I know is that two people I know were unable to get longstay visas because their passports weren't in almost perfect shape. One I just couldn't understand--the cover was just a little nicked and the ID page was fine--but the other one did have folds on the ID page.

You are between a rock and a hard place--if your passport is considered "mutilated, altered or damaged" you cannot renew it by mail. You have to apply in person.

julia1

You can argue, and perhaps win, with an airline agent. But the real concern is that you can expect little success arguing with an immigration official in some country which has strict regulations which your passport doesn't meet.

Your passport may look fine to all your friends and relatives and the people who respond to your post here on Fodor's, but that will do you little good if it doesn't look fine to some immigration agent somewhere.

It's the same situation I've run into with US $ bills: they looked fine to me when I put them in my money belt for trips to places without access to ready cash in local currency. But when I took them out and tried to give them to a money changer in Iran or Zimbabwe or Namibia or ... I was out of luck because they were slightly worn or slightly soiled. The money changers didn't know me, they didn't trust me, and they weren't willing to take the chance. Substitute passport for US $ bills, substitute immigration official for money changer, substitute... but you get the idea, I'm sure...

universitylad

In the end, I just decided to get a new passport. I've been meticulous about my current one since and even invested in a leather passport protection cover.

One thing I liked about the old style passports is that the photo ID page was actually part of the cover so it would be difficult to crease tear, etc. Why did they decide to make the ID page not on the cover with the new models? It also seems more difficult to for border people too as they have to page in to get to the ID rather than just opening the cover.

HRHDHD

New passports have a computer chip (RFID?) in the cover, so my guess is that the cover (and therefore the chip) would be more prone to damage with the ID page on the inside cover.

I agree with you, though, that just opening the cover was easier than having to flip to the ID page.

fmpden

Last year there was an article in our local paper of a family who was denied boarding to Mexico because the father's passport was damaged in someway (don't remember how) but to me it seem very minor from the description in the newspaper. The family made a big fuss - local papers, police, - but the airline prevailed. You cannot travel with a "damaged" passport. Who or what determines that is a good question. I am now a little more careful with my passport.