One of the most sensitive travel documents around is the
passport. Laws about passports all over the world have changed in recent
years to ensure that borders are tighten and that fraudulent materials
are not being used to allow people into countries that do not belong.
Anyone can find themselves with a damaged passport close to a trip and
have to use expedited damaged passport replacement to make sure the trip
runs smoothly.
There are quite a few reasons that a passport
could be deemed damaged by the proper authorities. What we think is just
a small mark could be enough to keep someone out of the country. A wine
spill over the signature, a faded or ripped photo or even a torn page
could raise suspicions. Even the smallest issue in the wrong area of the
passport is reason for them not to accept it.
One of the most
common ways that people ruin their passports is due to water damage.
Suppose someone is one river trip and they inadvertently get splashed.
Perhaps they are out to dinner and a glass of wine spills on the
passport that was left on the table. Water damage can be critical
because it causes damage to the pages and the writing and ink that is
inside the passport.
When a passport is damaged, it does usually
not have a very good outcome. Customs officials look very closely at a
passport that appears to be altered in any way and they have every right
to refuse entry if they think these alterations were done to falsify
documents. This is why it is better to just replace the passport versus
risking being denied entry into a foreign country.
It is not
really hard to replace a passport that is damaged. All it really
involves is downloading some forms off of the Internet, filling them out
and then sending them out with payment and the damaged passport to get
the new one. If there is the need to get it quicker than standard
processing allows, there are expedited services that can be used.
The
process of getting an expedited replacement passport is pretty much the
same as getting a new passport without much of the hassle. There is a
fee associated with the application of $60 along with any shipping costs
that would be incurred for delivery. If this is not quick enough, there
are other routes that can be taken.
The State Department
estimates that standard expedited delivery will take about two to three
weeks for the new passport to arrive. However, since accidents can
happen at the worst times, that may not be quick enough. If the passport
is needed sooner, the applicant can pay a higher fee and have it back
much quicker. If it is needed in the same day, it can be done, but be
prepared to pay about $300 for the processing.
If that passport of yours looks like it could be questionable, it is always better to play it safe and get a passport replacement.
A vacation can be ruined pretty quickly if the passport is deemed to be
damaged by the authorities. If the trip is in the very near future, use
an expedited damaged passport
replacement service to offer peace of mind and the knowledge that there
will be no issues when crossing borders or dealing with customs.
