Blank passport pages
Jul 30th, 2006, 06:42 AM
#1
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Blank passport pages
We are traveling to Japan and China in October. We have already have our Chinese visa. The literature from the visa service indicated in some places that you need four blank pages and in some places it said six. Is this really necessary? Now that I have the visa on one page, I have three blank pages as well as some partial pages. Shouldn't this be sufficient for entry and exit stamps?
Jul 30th, 2006, 07:31 AM
#4
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Like they said, you have enough pages to do China & Japan.
For USA passports you can send them in and have blank pages added for free. I had to do it to my old passport twice. When getting a new passport you can request a 48 pager for no extra charge.
For USA passports you can send them in and have blank pages added for free. I had to do it to my old passport twice. When getting a new passport you can request a 48 pager for no extra charge.
Jul 30th, 2006, 09:13 AM
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Sundial-if you are a US passport holder, the State Dept. has the following information on their website re blank passport pages:
Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip and/or have two to four blank visa/stamp pages. Some airlines will not allow you to board if these requirements are not met.
travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html
I would think that three blank pages would be sufficient, however, you are going on to Japan as well, no? You need to check to see what requirements Japan imposes, if any, on blank pages in the passport-the Japanese tend to strictly interpret such rules.
Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip and/or have two to four blank visa/stamp pages. Some airlines will not allow you to board if these requirements are not met.
travel.state.gov/passport/get/renew/renew_833.html
I would think that three blank pages would be sufficient, however, you are going on to Japan as well, no? You need to check to see what requirements Japan imposes, if any, on blank pages in the passport-the Japanese tend to strictly interpret such rules.
Jul 30th, 2006, 03:08 PM
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Thanks so much for all your help. I did email the visa service on this issue, but their response was rather vague and unclear. I have not found anything so far that indicates that China or Japan have a requirement for a specific number of blank pages, but I don't want to take any chances. My husband thinks I am a paroid traveler and he is probably right!!!
Jul 30th, 2006, 07:46 PM
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You are paranoid...
besides, if your passport is good for few more years the easiest way to add pages is to actually do it during your travels. If you are willing to sacrifice about 2 hours of your vacation time and you are in a city where there is a US consulate/embassy then just find out the consular section opening hours and go as early as possible. You may see long lines but that's for the non-US citizens. There will be a separate and a MUCH shorter or non-existant line for US citizens. Walk in, fill out a short application for extra pages, and within an hour you will have 16 more pages and it will be done totally free.
Some consulates advize about making an appointnment and/or tell you that it will take 3 days. AFAIK, the appointment is a total myth, but on occasion they will tell you to come back, either later the same afternoon (which in most cases is fine) or 1, 2, 3 days later. The way to get around that is to tell them a "little" white lie that you are leaving to other countries on a very early next morning flight and in about 99% of the cases, they will do it while you wait. It's great if you don't live anywhere near a Passport office in the US, as you never have to play the "mail" and "wait" game, and it's totally free except for about 2 hours of your vacation time.
besides, if your passport is good for few more years the easiest way to add pages is to actually do it during your travels. If you are willing to sacrifice about 2 hours of your vacation time and you are in a city where there is a US consulate/embassy then just find out the consular section opening hours and go as early as possible. You may see long lines but that's for the non-US citizens. There will be a separate and a MUCH shorter or non-existant line for US citizens. Walk in, fill out a short application for extra pages, and within an hour you will have 16 more pages and it will be done totally free.
Some consulates advize about making an appointnment and/or tell you that it will take 3 days. AFAIK, the appointment is a total myth, but on occasion they will tell you to come back, either later the same afternoon (which in most cases is fine) or 1, 2, 3 days later. The way to get around that is to tell them a "little" white lie that you are leaving to other countries on a very early next morning flight and in about 99% of the cases, they will do it while you wait. It's great if you don't live anywhere near a Passport office in the US, as you never have to play the "mail" and "wait" game, and it's totally free except for about 2 hours of your vacation time.
Jul 31st, 2006, 08:20 AM
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When counting blank pages in a passport, count the pages that are labeled "Visas". The pages at the back that are labeled "Amendments and Endorsements" cannot be used for entering or leaving countries.
On a trip, it is difficult to predict how many pages will be used. For example, we did a cruise around the tip of South America. We had to give the ship our passports during the trip. When we got our passports back, we found many pages were stamped. In every port, our passports were stamped numerous times. We had to send our passports to have more pages added before our next trip.
On a trip, it is difficult to predict how many pages will be used. For example, we did a cruise around the tip of South America. We had to give the ship our passports during the trip. When we got our passports back, we found many pages were stamped. In every port, our passports were stamped numerous times. We had to send our passports to have more pages added before our next trip.
Jul 31st, 2006, 09:03 AM
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Oh no, please, you make that painfully clear-I'm SO sorry to have provided the counter-point-YOU are the only "expert" that's worth listening to -you and your fellow FlyerTalk chatterers.
I don't even know why the US Dept. of State, Department of Transportation or Dept. of Homeland Security even exist, since you OBVIOUSLY know all there is to know about the official business of the USG, right?
So when YOU, FREQUENT FLYER, say use that "little white lie" and you'll get what you want "99 per cent of the time" at a US Consulate-it HAS to be right-because, you've made that clear, you're the ONLY one who knows anything about a US consulate's operating rules overseas, so how could anyone POSSIBLY challenge your authority???
I don't even know why the US Dept. of State, Department of Transportation or Dept. of Homeland Security even exist, since you OBVIOUSLY know all there is to know about the official business of the USG, right?
So when YOU, FREQUENT FLYER, say use that "little white lie" and you'll get what you want "99 per cent of the time" at a US Consulate-it HAS to be right-because, you've made that clear, you're the ONLY one who knows anything about a US consulate's operating rules overseas, so how could anyone POSSIBLY challenge your authority???
Jul 31st, 2006, 12:07 PM
#12
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Ouch! I am not expecting a definitive answer to my question here. I just expect for people to give their opinions and the benefit of their own experience. It is up to me to ultimately check things out for myself and make an informed decision. Let's all play nice!!!
Jul 31st, 2006, 09:45 PM
#13
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"The Chinese entry and exit stamps will be on the same page as your visa."
Actually the China Visa will take up an entire page in your passport. The stamps will either be on the page next to it or the previous page.
Regarding adding pages, yes you can walk into the Consulate (without appointment) and get this done. If they are busy, it might take an hour. If not, you'll be out of there in 15-20 minutes. And it's free!
Actually the China Visa will take up an entire page in your passport. The stamps will either be on the page next to it or the previous page.
Regarding adding pages, yes you can walk into the Consulate (without appointment) and get this done. If they are busy, it might take an hour. If not, you'll be out of there in 15-20 minutes. And it's free!
Jul 31st, 2006, 09:57 PM
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I'm sure that you can walk in to the US Consulate in Osaka and get pages added...I've done it.
But since you have until October to organize your passport, you have plenty of time to mail it in and get pages added. Then you will have the pages you might need and not have to worry, and you won't have to spend any of your holiday time doing it.
I'm wondering though about the information about having 4 or 6 pages in your passport...perhaps it is a mistake on the part of the agency you are using. It is very common for countries to require 6 months of time left on your passport. Japan stamps take 1/4 of a page, and they stamp you in and out on the same page.
But since you have until October to organize your passport, you have plenty of time to mail it in and get pages added. Then you will have the pages you might need and not have to worry, and you won't have to spend any of your holiday time doing it.
I'm wondering though about the information about having 4 or 6 pages in your passport...perhaps it is a mistake on the part of the agency you are using. It is very common for countries to require 6 months of time left on your passport. Japan stamps take 1/4 of a page, and they stamp you in and out on the same page.
Jul 31st, 2006, 10:36 PM
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If you look here http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/...es_1229.html#c
you will see that neither Japan nor China appears to have a minimum number of blank pages required. Japan requires that your passport be valid for the duration of your stay and an onward ticket.
Very good information on that link.
you will see that neither Japan nor China appears to have a minimum number of blank pages required. Japan requires that your passport be valid for the duration of your stay and an onward ticket.
Very good information on that link.
Jul 31st, 2006, 10:53 PM
#16
sundial, if you have three empty "visas" pages with four squares for entry and exit stamps then you have plenty of space.
Japan uses two squares, like KimJapan said. China used two squares and did not stamp my visa.
And you might need one square when you get back home.
Japan uses two squares, like KimJapan said. China used two squares and did not stamp my visa.
And you might need one square when you get back home.
Aug 1st, 2006, 01:58 AM
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Funny, KimJapan I was going to suggest the US Consulate in Osaka myself. Not that you want to take up time on a holiday by going to your embassy, but if you are worried about the blank pages and if you won't have time to get them added by mail you could certainly consider this. The consulate has walk-in times in the morning when you don't need an appointment, and you can also make an appointment for the afternoons if you don't want to wait at all. As a US citizen you will get entry to the building right away and will not wait in the line of non-citizens applying for visas, and you go to the American Citizens Services unit where there is a room of people whose entire job it is to renew passports, add pages, notarize documents, etc just for US passport holders. I have done walk-in for new pages in Singapore, Hong Kong and Berne (Switzerland) and in each case it took less than an hour (it actually took me longer to drive to Berne than to get the pages added...) My guess is that walk-in in Osaka is fine as there are most likely fewer US citizen expats in Osaka than the above three countries. (Even in Hong Kong with more than 50,000 US expats you can get this done in an hour.) Take a look at http://osaka.usconsulate.gov/wwwhmain.html for hours and holidays, as they will be closed on Japanese AND US holidays.
There are also consulates in Nagoya and other cities, for info go to the website for the US embassy in Tokyo at http://japan.usembassy.gov/
There are also consulates in Nagoya and other cities, for info go to the website for the US embassy in Tokyo at http://japan.usembassy.gov/
