This is ironically because the USA refuses to accept passports from other countries that have additional pages added.

I have a single Singapore stamp on my endorsements page. No other agents have considered stamping there.

As a general rule I tell the agents where I want the stamp to go to ensure optimised usage of pages; and because I got very sick of agents randomly stamping blank pages. I'm now down to 2 pages left in my passport, but I've stretched 5 pages out over several months despite weekly commutes. Passport renewal is OK but I don't really want an e-chip passport - I specifically renewed my passport just before the switch so I could have a 10-year non-echip passport, and I still have 4.5 years of validity left. Also transferring some visas and waiting for APEC clearance again is a pain.

I have a colleague who travels on a British passport, works in NZ and lives in AU. He used to commute twice a month and thus filled up his passport fairly quickly (along with other travel). He travelled to home to Australia and they wouldn't let him in due to no space to stamp (he had run out of space some months ago, but was convincing agents to just stamp-over). After much negotiation (virtually up to the return flight they were trying to put him onto) he was able to convince them to let him in. He got a new passport on that trip.

Entering SXM yesterday I asked the agent if she could please stamp a dirty page. She rifled through my PP and then proudly stamped the obersvations page. :confused: This despite there being plenty of free space on a few pages, and my last few remaining blanks defended with a paperclip (so easy to spot).

Oh well, hopefully that has opened up an additional page in my PP. :D

I have the same question and since it's a whole year since the last post I figured I'd top this and ask again.

I have exactly two empty spaces in my passport, plus the four pages at the back. I had no idea (until tonight) that the pages are empty for a reason.

One of my goals was to fill this passport and by darn, I think I've done it. Right?

One trip to France in two weeks, and when I get home - it's full.

Cool!

Unless someone wants to point out that I am wrong...

Two questions:
1. Does anyone have experience getting visa pages added in Ankara, Turkey? I need to attempt this next week as I'm about out of pages and my trip has turned into 5 countries instead of 2...requiring lots of visa stamps. I'm assuming they will add the pages as I wait at the Embassy?

2. Can someone please explain to me why the hell the US stamps US passports coming back in? That annoys the hell out of me. It's a total waste of space and makes you get extra pages (which now cost $82 - ...!!) a lot sooner than you should have. What bugs me most about this is only half the border agents stamp your passport. The other half don't. If they are supposed to then all should do it - if not then none should do it. The US is the only country I've seen that stamps its own citizens' passports.

Thanks,
RM

Maybe you answered your own question? :p

I agree that it's annoying (especially with the inconsistency) -- another good reason to get Global Entry.

I haven't been to that particular consulate, but most of them require that you make an appointment on their web page. Normally it will be done while you wait, or you drop off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon.

I think it is based on the city. LA never stamps, Chicago always does. I asked an agent at ORD about this once and he just said LAX operates under different rules.

I had an agent at YYZ stamp the endorsements page a few years ago. It was particularly strange because not only did I have numerous empty pages, but he also had to lift up the sheet that had been stapled there saying I'd paid the Chile entry "reciprocity" fee. Very odd move on his part.

Indeed. But the stupid $82 fee is only recent. I've been getting US stamps on & off in my passport for the 12+ years I've been traveling internationally.

I have Global Entry via NEXUS and I use it regularly now so I save that space. Doesn't help that half of my current passport is used by useless US stamps.

And I agree with others in this thread....there is absolutely no neatness about the US stamps. The stamps are as arrogant as the people putting them there. :(

Yeah, I made an appointment online. The ACS services are only 2.5 hours each day (Mon-Thurs) and the only appointment they could give me was 15 minutes before closing. So I'm hoping I wait there while they glue in some extra pages.

-------------------

Can someone please explain the purpose of the $82 fee? Is it truly "just to make more money"?

-RM

And the US is the only country I'm aware of that stamps its own citizens' passports routinely.

I suppose it's a good thing that EU countries don't stamp other EU passports, or I would have run out of space quite some time ago — my current passport, complete with smiling photo, has a year and a half left and I'll be a little sad when I have to replace it with a scowling one.

The US is very much in the small minority of countries that DOES NOT stamp its own citizen's passports on every single occasion. I'd say that ~80% of countries in the world stamp their citizens' passports on every single entry/exit.

many places i visit require a free page for a visa. if you are fully full, get a new extended pages passport, or bite the bullet with the extra pages.

I think it is better than potentially being refused entry

I got new pages in Cape Town and I had to leave my passport. They now send the information to the State Dept and because of the time difference, it is the next day before State vets the passport. Then they would only allow me to have it delivered by DHL. So, it's a two day turn around. I don't know if this is limited to Cape Town. It was also not mentioned on the website. To make matters worse for me the day it would have been delivered was a national holiday and there were no DHL deliveries. Fortunately I hadn't made onward travel arrangements.

Pages 22 23 and 24
 

Am headed to Japan and Korea in 3 weeks and just remembered my passport is pretty full. Obviously don't need a visa but I only have space for one or two more stamps up to page 21. Pages 22-24 are empty and wanted to make sure I could use those before I get new pages. With time short not looking forward to paying $200 extra to an expediter.

If I were you, I'd go to the web page of the US consulate in the first city you plan to visit and make an appointment for new pages. Just $82 that way and when you are there you can ask them to give you double the pages. It may depend on the kindness of the officer, but they have been known to do that.