Removing Used/Expired Visa Stickers from Passport
Feb 24, 2015, 2:35 pm
#61
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I don't think that removing carefully an expired visa will create any problem unless the visa is linked to an active legal document like a residence permit. Nevertheless, I won't do that.
But, I will never remove and place a visa on another passport because most visas include passport information, and this is the case for the Chinese visa (as well as the PRC residence permit which is a sticker on your passport). Even if the passport number is not apparent, it may be recorded in the customs database.
PRC customs are no joke. At Capital apt, I've once seen 5 officers looking in turns into a suspicious passport through a weaver's glass.
My extended passport holds 88 pages for visas. I've put a post-it "no-stamp" on 14 pages as I'm certain to need those blank pages for visas until my PP expires. I had no problem in any country. This is probably not considered as tampering with an official document.
Two trivias :
> Asian custom officers carefully stamp on free space. South Europeans stamp anywhere, even on area already stamped. (That pisses me off because I need Entry/Exit proof for IRS ...)
> People from India love showing off their passport. More than once, have I seen people with up to 6 passports glued together. (Absolutely no offence intended)
But, I will never remove and place a visa on another passport because most visas include passport information, and this is the case for the Chinese visa (as well as the PRC residence permit which is a sticker on your passport). Even if the passport number is not apparent, it may be recorded in the customs database.
PRC customs are no joke. At Capital apt, I've once seen 5 officers looking in turns into a suspicious passport through a weaver's glass.
My extended passport holds 88 pages for visas. I've put a post-it "no-stamp" on 14 pages as I'm certain to need those blank pages for visas until my PP expires. I had no problem in any country. This is probably not considered as tampering with an official document.
Two trivias :
> Asian custom officers carefully stamp on free space. South Europeans stamp anywhere, even on area already stamped. (That pisses me off because I need Entry/Exit proof for IRS ...)
> People from India love showing off their passport. More than once, have I seen people with up to 6 passports glued together. (Absolutely no offence intended)
Feb 24, 2015, 2:42 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 360
Feb 24, 2015, 3:12 pm
#63
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I don't think that removing carefully an expired visa will create any problem unless the visa is linked to an active legal document like a residence permit. Nevertheless, I won't do that.
But, I will never remove and place a visa on another passport because most visas include passport information, and this is the case for the Chinese visa (as well as the PRC residence permit which is a sticker on your passport). Even if the passport number is not apparent, it may be recorded in the customs database.
PRC customs are no joke. At Capital apt, I've once seen 5 officers looking in turns into a suspicious passport through a weaver's glass.
My extended passport holds 88 pages for visas. I've put a post-it "no-stamp" on 14 pages as I'm certain to need those blank pages for visas until my PP expires. I had no problem in any country. This is probably not considered as tampering with an official document.
But, I will never remove and place a visa on another passport because most visas include passport information, and this is the case for the Chinese visa (as well as the PRC residence permit which is a sticker on your passport). Even if the passport number is not apparent, it may be recorded in the customs database.
PRC customs are no joke. At Capital apt, I've once seen 5 officers looking in turns into a suspicious passport through a weaver's glass.
My extended passport holds 88 pages for visas. I've put a post-it "no-stamp" on 14 pages as I'm certain to need those blank pages for visas until my PP expires. I had no problem in any country. This is probably not considered as tampering with an official document.
Feb 24, 2015, 3:15 pm
#64
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It really is unfortunate that the governmental issuing authorities in the main can claim government-ownership over the passports after having been paid for them, but they can claim -- and do exercise such claim of -- ownership.
Feb 24, 2015, 3:30 pm
#65
Join Date: Oct 2014
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It is the passport bearer's passport, even as the government may consider it to be government property.
It really is unfortunate that the governmental issuing authorities in the main can claim government-ownership over the passports after having been paid for them, but they can claim -- and do exercise such claim of -- ownership.
It really is unfortunate that the governmental issuing authorities in the main can claim government-ownership over the passports after having been paid for them, but they can claim -- and do exercise such claim of -- ownership.
You are paying for a service fee. You are not purchasing a good. It's only a travel pass, which, btw, doesn't always guarantee your nationality.
Feb 24, 2015, 3:58 pm
#66
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It's not just a travel pass, even as that is often how it is used.
Feb 24, 2015, 4:33 pm
#67
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By nature and object, a passport is a document addressed to a foreign country requesting that the bearer pass safely and freely.
For most, it is also a political document, again addressed to foreign powers, by which the bearer is recognized as a citizen of the issuing country.
Therefore, a passport is by definition intended to be used abroad, even if it is sometimes used for other purposes.
Several food for thoughts :
> Palestinians are issued Egyptian passports (although not residing in Egypt, and not holding Egyptian citizenship) which allow them to travel anywhere ... except Egypt.
> Bedoons living in Kuwait for generations have once been issued Kuwaiti passports clearly stating that they don't have Kuwaiti citizenship. For some of them, Kuwait have legally purchased Comoros passports.
> Within India, an Indian passport alone is not considered as a proof of citizenship, while it is in other countries.
For most, it is also a political document, again addressed to foreign powers, by which the bearer is recognized as a citizen of the issuing country.
Therefore, a passport is by definition intended to be used abroad, even if it is sometimes used for other purposes.
Several food for thoughts :
> Palestinians are issued Egyptian passports (although not residing in Egypt, and not holding Egyptian citizenship) which allow them to travel anywhere ... except Egypt.
> Bedoons living in Kuwait for generations have once been issued Kuwaiti passports clearly stating that they don't have Kuwaiti citizenship. For some of them, Kuwait have legally purchased Comoros passports.
> Within India, an Indian passport alone is not considered as a proof of citizenship, while it is in other countries.
Feb 24, 2015, 4:44 pm
#68
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By nature and object, a passport is a document addressed to a foreign country requesting that the bearer pass safely and freely.
For most, it is also a political document, again addressed to foreign powers, by which the bearer is recognized as a citizen of the issuing country.
Therefore, a passport is by definition intended to be used abroad, even if it is sometimes used for other purposes.
Several food for thoughts :
> Palestinians are issued Egyptian passports (although not residing in Egypt, and not holding Egyptian citizenship) which allow them to travel anywhere ... except Egypt.
> Bedoons living in Kuwait for generations have once been issued Kuwaiti passports clearly stating that they don't have Kuwaiti citizenship. For some of them, Kuwait have legally purchased Comoros passports.
> Within India, an Indian passport alone is not considered as a proof of citizenship, while it is in other countries.
For most, it is also a political document, again addressed to foreign powers, by which the bearer is recognized as a citizen of the issuing country.
Therefore, a passport is by definition intended to be used abroad, even if it is sometimes used for other purposes.
Several food for thoughts :
> Palestinians are issued Egyptian passports (although not residing in Egypt, and not holding Egyptian citizenship) which allow them to travel anywhere ... except Egypt.
> Bedoons living in Kuwait for generations have once been issued Kuwaiti passports clearly stating that they don't have Kuwaiti citizenship. For some of them, Kuwait have legally purchased Comoros passports.
> Within India, an Indian passport alone is not considered as a proof of citizenship, while it is in other countries.
Feb 24, 2015, 5:04 pm
#69
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 360
It is the passport bearer's passport, even as the government may consider it to be government property.
It really is unfortunate that the governmental issuing authorities in the main can claim government-ownership over the passports after having been paid for them, but they can claim -- and do exercise such claim of -- ownership.
It really is unfortunate that the governmental issuing authorities in the main can claim government-ownership over the passports after having been paid for them, but they can claim -- and do exercise such claim of -- ownership.
§51.7 Passport property of the U.S. Government.
(a) A passport at all times remains the property of the United States and must be returned to the U.S. Government upon demand.
(b) Law enforcement authorities who take possession of a passport for use in an investigation or prosecution must return the passport to the Department on completion of the investigation and/or prosecution.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx...2#se22.1.51_17
Mere possession of the passport does not confer ownership rights. It is a document that belongs to and is owned by the Government which is provided to the applicant as proof of his having appeared to satisfy all the requirements needed for issue at the time of application. As we all know lying about meeting such requirements is often the basis for revocation at a later date.
Feb 24, 2015, 5:27 pm
#70
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refer to Bombay high court ruling. Sept 2013
Feb 25, 2015, 7:17 am
#71
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The Sept 2013 ruling in India doesn't change the fact that in India Indian officials considered Indian passports as proof of citizenship. For it not to be considered as such, other factors have to be in play, as were in the cases there.
That is not news to me.
Take a different view? No, they take the view I indicated, a view which I consider unfortunate regardless of their right to do so.
The US code would appear to take a different view as do most countries legal systems.
§51.7 Passport property of the U.S. Government.
(a) A passport at all times remains the property of the United States and must be returned to the U.S. Government upon demand.
(b) Law enforcement authorities who take possession of a passport for use in an investigation or prosecution must return the passport to the Department on completion of the investigation and/or prosecution.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx...2#se22.1.51_17
Mere possession of the passport does not confer ownership rights. Iwwt is a document that belongs to and is owned by the Government which is provided to the applicant as proof of his having appeared to satisfy all the requirements needed for issue at the time of application. As we all know lying about meeting such requirements is often the basis for revocation at a later date.
§51.7 Passport property of the U.S. Government.
(a) A passport at all times remains the property of the United States and must be returned to the U.S. Government upon demand.
(b) Law enforcement authorities who take possession of a passport for use in an investigation or prosecution must return the passport to the Department on completion of the investigation and/or prosecution.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx...2#se22.1.51_17
Mere possession of the passport does not confer ownership rights. Iwwt is a document that belongs to and is owned by the Government which is provided to the applicant as proof of his having appeared to satisfy all the requirements needed for issue at the time of application. As we all know lying about meeting such requirements is often the basis for revocation at a later date.
Take a different view? No, they take the view I indicated, a view which I consider unfortunate regardless of their right to do so.
Last edited by GUWonder; Feb 25, 2015 at 7:24 am
Mar 1, 2015, 1:41 pm
#72
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
At one point of time, when I was going through Indian passports every 6 months or so due to heavy travel, I had 8 passports stuck together. Not for any wish to show off (believe me, it is extremely inconvenient to carry that stack), but rather because there are valid visas in old passports whose "sequence of continuity" must be maintained by carrying every (fully stamped) passport between that and the current passport.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:47 pm
#73
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,656
With all due respect, the ruling simply stated that having a passport that was obtained by error/fraud/misrepresentation does not automatically make one a citizen if there was no underlying eligibility for citizenship in the first place. A valid and legally obtained Indian passport remains one of the possible pieces of documentation that may be used to demonstrate citizenship.
May 29, 2015, 9:20 am
#74
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A couple related questions:
I have a couple pages that have the stapled stub from Japan entries still attached (just the little stub). I assume its OK to remove these? Or will the staple holes draw attention?
Is the need for a completely blank page country specific? I still have lots of blank boxes and places where a stamp can be squeezed in, but only one totally blank page.
I experimented a little with my Indian visa this morning by lifting one corner slightly. It certainly began to come off clearly, but a little residue was left behind so I decided the better course was just to stop. The corner I'd lifted went right back down. Phew.
My situation is that I have 2 trips back to back that leave little time before or between to get extra pages without doing the "in person" thing in Chicago and those fees add up, and I also have a very comfortable gap before the third upcoming INTL trip. I have 7 completely kosher open slots and about 4-6 other spots that a stamp could be squeezed in. Going to completely normal places - Canada, Shengen, UK, - and am expecting to need as few as 7 slots or as many as 10, so I can squeak through. Fortunately, I'm not entering via Italy, where they LOVE to stamp in the dead center of a blank page!
I have a couple pages that have the stapled stub from Japan entries still attached (just the little stub). I assume its OK to remove these? Or will the staple holes draw attention?
Is the need for a completely blank page country specific? I still have lots of blank boxes and places where a stamp can be squeezed in, but only one totally blank page.
I experimented a little with my Indian visa this morning by lifting one corner slightly. It certainly began to come off clearly, but a little residue was left behind so I decided the better course was just to stop. The corner I'd lifted went right back down. Phew.
My situation is that I have 2 trips back to back that leave little time before or between to get extra pages without doing the "in person" thing in Chicago and those fees add up, and I also have a very comfortable gap before the third upcoming INTL trip. I have 7 completely kosher open slots and about 4-6 other spots that a stamp could be squeezed in. Going to completely normal places - Canada, Shengen, UK, - and am expecting to need as few as 7 slots or as many as 10, so I can squeak through. Fortunately, I'm not entering via Italy, where they LOVE to stamp in the dead center of a blank page!
Jun 1, 2015, 9:46 pm
#75
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Goo Gone is very effective at removing adhesive stickers. I remove price stickers and amazon stickers off books and CD's with it.
I imagine it will work on visa stickers equally well. FYI/ YMMV.
I imagine it will work on visa stickers equally well. FYI/ YMMV.