Hi there.
I'm travelling to Costa Rica on the 24th of March via Newark NJ.
My concern is the condition of my passport. I've used it often in the last 8 years and it's a bit rough around the edges. It has gotten wet a couple of times. There is some smudging on some of the page stamps in the middle. There is a very small amount of lifting on the laminate beside the photograph, which you would only notice if you looked for it. The whole passport is bent a little from being in my pocket while abroad. There is some lifting at the corners.
The last time I used it was in August '09 to get into Vietnam and the customs guy at Hanoi airport criticised the condition of my passport and told me that I should get a new one. He let me in anyway. The passport was also scanned in Bangkok with no problems. I forgot all about it until now.
My concern is that I'm travelling through the USA to get to Costa Rica. If I'm going to have any trouble, it's with US customs.
I decided to get a new passport and save me some worrying. It's due for renewal in 2012 anyway. The turnaround for a Passport Express application is 10 working days - I have 15 working days before I travel.
The problem now is that there is industrial action going on in the passport office and "Due to this ongoing industrial action it is not currently possible to guarantee the turnaround time for passport services."
Now I'm starting to get worried.
Has anyone got any suggestions? I understand that it's hard to make the call on my current passport without seeing it.
Thanks!
I'm travelling to Costa Rica on the 24th of March via Newark NJ.
My concern is the condition of my passport. I've used it often in the last 8 years and it's a bit rough around the edges. It has gotten wet a couple of times. There is some smudging on some of the page stamps in the middle. There is a very small amount of lifting on the laminate beside the photograph, which you would only notice if you looked for it. The whole passport is bent a little from being in my pocket while abroad. There is some lifting at the corners.
The last time I used it was in August '09 to get into Vietnam and the customs guy at Hanoi airport criticised the condition of my passport and told me that I should get a new one. He let me in anyway. The passport was also scanned in Bangkok with no problems. I forgot all about it until now.
My concern is that I'm travelling through the USA to get to Costa Rica. If I'm going to have any trouble, it's with US customs.
I decided to get a new passport and save me some worrying. It's due for renewal in 2012 anyway. The turnaround for a Passport Express application is 10 working days - I have 15 working days before I travel.
The problem now is that there is industrial action going on in the passport office and "Due to this ongoing industrial action it is not currently possible to guarantee the turnaround time for passport services."
Now I'm starting to get worried.
Has anyone got any suggestions? I understand that it's hard to make the call on my current passport without seeing it.
Thanks!