I checked my passport to make sure it was machine readable before my trip to the US. may passport expires late 2008. It does have the two rows of characters at the base of the ID page but the very edge of the page has become a bit wrinkly through use etc.

Will this passport be acceptable? I've seen on Border Security and those Airport programmes where people get turned away at check in or immigration because their passport looks 'damaged' or tampered with. Naturally I'd hate that to happen.

Should I just renew it to be on the safe side?

I didn't know where I should post this

I don't know how anyone here would be in a position to answer your question. Maybe you should go to the horse's mouth and ask the Department of Immigration - www.immi.gov.au. Maybe you could scan the page in question and email it to them for an opinion. Alternatively, if you live in a capital city you could visit an office in person.

Well, I realise no-one could make a judgement without seeing it, just wondered if anyone had any experience with how fussy or lenient they might be about such things.

Also feel it's quite subjective. On the website they say to ring a number with enquiries, when you ring, they tell you to go to the website; good idea to go into the passport office.

You just reminded me - it's the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade that actually issues passports, not Immigration. But it's probably Immigration that makes the call.