Get new US passport vs adding pages & visa questions
May 7, 2012, 12:10 pm
#16
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Just get a new passport, ask for Jumbo version. Most visas will transfer over. Just carry along the old one with you, read FT for country specifics.
May 7, 2012, 1:41 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2012
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embassies/consulates (i.e. London, Beijing, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong)
where they do everything strictly according to State's rules and regulations.
However, my boss has done it at a US consulate in a "tiny" Asian country last
Christmas on a walk-in basis. The ACS got him pages added with a smile, free
of charge in about an hour. That consulates sees very few US citizens, but
there's always a boatload of potential visitors/immigrants waiting for interviews.
May 7, 2012, 1:46 pm
#18
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Officially, that's absolutely true. Especially if it's at one of the bigger US
embassies/consulates (i.e. London, Beijing, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong)
where they do everything strictly according to State's rules and regulations.
However, my boss has done it at a US consulate in a "tiny" Asian country last
Christmas on a walk-in basis. The ACS got him pages added with a smile, free
of charge in about an hour. That consulates sees very few US citizens, but
there's always a boatload of potential visitors/immigrants waiting for interviews.
embassies/consulates (i.e. London, Beijing, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong)
where they do everything strictly according to State's rules and regulations.
However, my boss has done it at a US consulate in a "tiny" Asian country last
Christmas on a walk-in basis. The ACS got him pages added with a smile, free
of charge in about an hour. That consulates sees very few US citizens, but
there's always a boatload of potential visitors/immigrants waiting for interviews.
You must mean around last Christmas. On Christmas, US consulates/embassies don't ordinarily provide ACS facilities except for emergency type of situations. Even in "tiny" Asian countries.
May 7, 2012, 1:54 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 200
Cheaper abroad? It generally no longer is. Faster abroad? Often yes; however, it varies. [It is generally not as fast as it used to be, domestically or internationally.]
You must mean around last Christmas. On Christmas, US consulates/embassies don't ordinarily provide ACS facilities except for emergency type of situations. Even in "tiny" Asian countries.
You must mean around last Christmas. On Christmas, US consulates/embassies don't ordinarily provide ACS facilities except for emergency type of situations. Even in "tiny" Asian countries.
employees do NOT do anything on Christmas, except for the Air Force guys
at NORAD who track Santa's flight.
By the way, the US embassies/consulates can be very nice at some locations,
while completely a*** in others. It really depends on whoever's on duty
on the day of the visit.
May 7, 2012, 4:49 pm
#20
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well... i always keep my expired passports in my carry on luggage anyways ...
i'd rather get a new jumbo one ... especially since i like a good challenge of filling it up with actual vacation and not MRs
i'd rather get a new jumbo one ... especially since i like a good challenge of filling it up with actual vacation and not MRs
May 7, 2012, 4:52 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 200
I even went so far as to pay cash for a stamp in my passport a couple of years ago. (Liechtenstein,
where else? Yes, it's a real country... but apparently not all US CPB agents realize this
)
May 7, 2012, 11:02 pm
#22
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personally, I get very upset when the foreign(or U.S.) immigration officer doesn't stamp my passport.
I even went so far as to pay cash for a stamp in my passport a couple of years ago. (Liechtenstein,
where else? Yes, it's a real country... but apparently not all US CPB agents realize this )
I even went so far as to pay cash for a stamp in my passport a couple of years ago. (Liechtenstein,
where else? Yes, it's a real country... but apparently not all US CPB agents realize this
)As far as Liechtenstein, I saw a TV program a few years ago and they actually make revenue on stamps whether passport or their mail system.
May 8, 2012, 12:07 am
#23
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I asked a CBP officer why they don't stamp US passports and he stated that were instructed not to by management. I thought this was odd but I asked the same question at three different airports, SFO, LAX and MIA and got pretty much the same answer. I rather they do not stamp because I need the pages for visas and they need blank pages to put a visa on.
.
.
There is no general prohibition on US CBP stamping US passports on (re-)entry to the US.
May 8, 2012, 10:23 pm
#24
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My US passports have stamps in them from all of the above airports this year and/or last year. I have many hundreds of US stamps in my US passports, going back decades and the practice of US stamps in US passportd continue still, albeit it may be perceived as a YMMV situation.
There is no general prohibition on US CBP stamping US passports on (re-)entry to the US.
There is no general prohibition on US CBP stamping US passports on (re-)entry to the US.
No, there is no prohibition. If a pax request a stamp, it will be stamped.
I am just stating what I know. (I use to be in the business). Next time, ask an officer, especially at SFO.
May 8, 2012, 10:40 pm
#25
formerly known as daveland
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I asked a CBP officer why they don't stamp US passports and he stated that were instructed not to by management. I thought this was odd but I asked the same question at three different airports, SFO, LAX and MIA and got pretty much the same answer. I rather they do not stamp because I need the pages for visas and they need blank pages to put a visa on.
As far as Liechtenstein, I saw a TV program a few years ago and they actually make revenue on stamps whether passport or their mail system.
As far as Liechtenstein, I saw a TV program a few years ago and they actually make revenue on stamps whether passport or their mail system.
In fact, I hadn't realized my visa pages were full in March and during a stopover in AMS I went into town.. Re-entering AMS the agent advised I was out of pages and he could deny me entry (but let me go when I promised to get new pages right away...). I hadn't realized the last two pages weren't valid for stamps...
May 9, 2012, 12:01 pm
#27
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Even if a passenger does not request a stamp, the passport will frequently be stamped ... including at SFO.
Even if a passenger requests no stamp, the passport will frequently be stamped .... including at SFO.
May 9, 2012, 12:19 pm
#28
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Look, I was in management with CBP at SFO for 12 years and now work out of the embassy in Beijing. I travel to to the US once a month, whether SFO, LAX or DC and my passport is not stamped. Internal memo came out a few years ago about US citizens complaining that their passports were filling up too quickly due to the unnecessary stamping by CBP Officers. Legal department concluded that US citizens passports do not need to be stamped upon entry to the US.
May 9, 2012, 12:27 pm
#29
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Look, I was in management with CBP at SFO for 12 years and now work out of the embassy in Beijing. I travel to to the US once a month, whether SFO, LAX or DC and my passport is not stamped. Internal memo came out a few years ago about US citizens complaining that their passports were filling up too quickly due to the unnecessary stamping by CBP Officers. Legal department concluded that US citizens passports do not need to be stamped upon entry to the US.
Jun 19, 2013, 7:56 am
#30
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This is an interesting thread ... I do all my US entries in PHL and they stamp every time.
As a result, on a 2007-issue passport, I have part of one page left, and no visas that I have to carry over. Also, I have a little time until next out-of-country trip, so will not have to pay expediting fees. Thus am I correct that under the current fee structure, I might as well just renew my passport now, instead of getting (and paying for, here in the U.S.) new pages and then having to renew in 2017?
As a result, on a 2007-issue passport, I have part of one page left, and no visas that I have to carry over. Also, I have a little time until next out-of-country trip, so will not have to pay expediting fees. Thus am I correct that under the current fee structure, I might as well just renew my passport now, instead of getting (and paying for, here in the U.S.) new pages and then having to renew in 2017?