US Passport - Extra Pages and SE Asia Visas.
 

Hello from our vacation in Cambodia

Tonight, while discussing my travel plans to Laos, Bangkok, Laos (yes, 2nd stop) and Taiwan, I have been alerted to the fact that I may have an issue with passport pages. My Cambodia visa took one whole page and while I have plenty of empty slots on my passport, I do not have any more completely empty pages. The only blank page is the last page of the passport, the one with the footer for addendums, etc. I’m not sure if this can be used.

From my research it looks like the Laos & Bangkok visas will be a stamps. I’m unsure of Taiwan. Yet, the visa on my previous trip to China was one page.

Do you have any information or advice? This issue has come at me out of left field, so, your help would be appreciated.

Thanks!




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Do you not have time to have additional pages added to your passport for your trip? In the US this is relatively easy. Check out state dept. website for directions.

Sorry. I didn't see the first line, that you are already in Cambodia! So it is probably not possible there, although I suppose you could call the US embassy there and ask in case you had time and they could do it on the spot.

US Embassies in other countries can add pages to your passport.

Your Thai visa-free entry will just be entry and exit stamps. The Taiwan stop will also just be entry and exit stamps.

My Lao visa was a full page, I believe (I'm at work, don't have my passport available).

You are correct that the last page of your passport, for addendums, cannot be used for visas.

As Kathie above posted, you may stop in at the US Embassy in Vientiane-Laos or Bangkok-Thailand and they'll add pages into your passport. I've had it done at both embassies and the Vientiane one is much easier since there are far less US citizens visiting Vientiane than in Bangkok. The US Embassy is right down the street from that That Dam/Black Stupa between the main tourist area and Lane Xang Boulevard towards the Morning Market/Talat Sao.

And yes, the Lao visa on arrival stamp takes one page since I've got quite a few over the years, though the last one was in 2007.
The last couple years I've been getting a business visa which also takes a full page.

Hmm, you mentioned that you don't have any more empty full pages in your passport? Since they aren't supposed to use your addendum pages, can you get to the US embassy in Phnom Penh to get the pages added in since I don't know if you can arrive in Laos and still have them stamp the visa into your passport? That might be a little risky.

Anyways hope it all works out and enjoy your trip.

BTW, I think it's still free to have pages added to your passport.

Good, seagypsy was able to give you the answer about the size of the Lao visa. I agree with him that you'll have difficulty getting into Laos if you don't have a full page available. I know people who have been denied entry into Cambodia for not having enough blank pages in their passport.

Thanks to all for the commentary. The real problem is that I will not be in any cities with a US embassy. We have already been to PP and I won't be in Thailand until after Laos. That is if I can get into Laos! It's morning here, so I will go chat with our innkeepes who are US Citizens and see if they have any ideas. It does look like our flight from SRP to Luang Brabang does have a stop over. If that stop over is in Thailand, I may have to rework the flight to Luang Brabang to deplane and visit the US Embassy. Please keep your wisdom and good thought coming! THANK!!

If it's VN airlines, your flight from SRP to LP probably stops in Vientiane. I don't think Bangkok Air flies that route anymore. When they did, it was a direct flight.

I just had more pages put in my passport here in Bangkok (just got a new passport last December!). It's still free and takes one hour. You can make appointments for counselor services on-line, but that isn't really necessary for more pages. You just go to the embassy, fill out the form and submit it with your passport. You don't have to get a queue number.

However, do note that counselor services closes at 2:00 pm, in addition to a one hour lunch at noon, so it's best to arrive in the morning.

Same situation here in Indonesia. You can get additional visa pages inserted in your passport at the US Embassy in Jakarta or the consulate in Bali.

Visa pages say just that "visa" on the top. Other pages that say "notes" (I don't have my passport with me but it's something like that) may not be accepted.

Hello Dear Commentators

At about 10:30am today, I made the decision to book a round trip flight from SR to PP to get the extra pages for my passport. It will delay our entry into Laos by one day.

Fortunatley, we are staying at Journeys Within Guest House in SR and the lovely owners are from the U.S. We tossed around a few different ideas and they made all the arrangments for me.
My flight left SR at 1:30 and when I arrived in PP, my car and driver took me striaght to the US embassy. Now, I am relaxing in my hotel and won't have to worry about "winging it" and hoping to get entry into Laos.

Tomorrow, I have an early morning flight back to SR and then I will rejoin my husband and we will depart for Luang Brabang.

Thanks for taking the time to post all of your suggestions. I consider myself a wise traveler. Yet, in this case this situation really threw me.

Big thanks to Brandon and Andrea at Jouneys Within. If I hadn't gotten to PP for the passport pages, I would have been "Journeying Within" for quite a few days!

Thanks for the update, childlife. Great that it worked out well in Phnom Penh with your quick decisiveness. What a relief, Charlie B?! ;~))
Seriously, very smart to have it taken care of right away since PP is so close to Siem Reap and you've only lost a day. Now you're set for a number of years, we hope!

Great! I'm glad you were able to get it taken care of. I wouldn't have wanted to see your next post be "Help! Refused entry to Laos!"

Well, now we know why even Conde Nast gives JWOC awards for service.