Spyder

Mine got drycleaned in Geneva, Switzerland recently. I was amazed it was still in the pants pocket when I got it back.

It took all the lettering off the outside, and it looks pretty weathered, but it hasn't caused me any problems although they did give it a serious look in the Caymans.

cordelli

They once pointed out some damage to my passport in Germany I believe that I had not even noticed. Minor separation of the laminate on the picture page. They let mein, but strongly suggested I get a new one, as anything but a perfect passport was suspicious to them.

I say get it replaced. It may not be an issue, but for the next eight or so years you run the risk of somebody somewhere not accepting it. It may not be the biggest thing if you are coming back home, you could probably talk your way in after much suspicious looking, but if somebody denies you entry and says get back on the next plane home, well it's worth getting a new one.

Loren Pechtel

Back in the 80's mine got pretty badly sweat-damaged due to always carrying it under my clothes while in Africa. The lettering was completely off the front and the first third of the stamps were blurred beyond readability. No problems with it although it only saw two borders after leaving Africa.

Peetah

You don't get the mutilated passport back when you turn it in for a replacement. I know, I washed mine with a valid Brazillian visa pasted inside.

maskedavenger77

When turning in a valid passport due to expire in 6 months, do the US passport offices always return the old with the new (non mutilated)?

Ready2Go

Yes, they now give the old passport back.

Redhead

About 2 years ago my passport got damaged with rain and melting cough drops on it while I was visiting Siem Reap. I still use it although I really ought to get it replaced - especially since it is completely full and doesn't expire until 2011

kjsaw

I have had my passport washed before;

I used it a few times, but the extra scrutiny took up more time then it was worth, plus every place told me this would be the last time they would let me through with the passport, so I got a new one.

The consulate let me keep the old one, albeit with the corners clipped and invalid stamps on the data page, as it contained a number of visas that I needed.

hfly

peetah, the person who asked the question did NOT have a mutilated passport. Ready2go, what do you mean by "now", AFAIK they have always done this and I have cancelled passports in my possession that go back over 30 years.

Shoveldr

I washed mine a couple of years back and it was in a condition similar you yours. My next international trip was to Calgary, so I asked about it when I went through immigration and the agent told me it needs to be replaced when it no longer scanned. Mine didn't scan so I went ahead and replaced it.

BamaVol

Big deal. My Mom threw out my comic books and baseball cards.

bhmlurker

Ouch ... a passport is replaceable at $50-100.

gobluetwo

i was about to say... i still have my first passport from age 3.

iwebslinger

Update on my passport.

After reading the different posts I was going to get a new passport but I afraid of having my passport hung up in processing. I travel once a month but I had about two months of no intl travel in the summer so I was going to wait. I passed through ICN in February and the agent scrutinized the passport and then called over someone else and talked and just let me go. On that trip on the return in SFO immigration they looked it over pretty good and then the agent pulled up the page from the cover. I explained my mother washed and he seemed to understand and let me. So I was going to send it in but there was news of the backlog so I was worried. My trips are every month and so I did not have the luxury to wait it out. I took some spray on glue and glued the cover back on. I have had no trouble. I did also clip off the strands so it still looks weathered and cool but neater.

retaj

This happened to me. The cover came apart from the first page. The main page was readable, but some of my old stamps were unreadable. I didn't have any visas wash away, and I've used it succesfully on two trips.