Wet passport - will it cause problems?

[MikeJ]

DS17 recently returned from a school-sponsored March Break trip to Greece. (You know the ship that sank off Santorini, the Sea Diamond? He was on that same cruise two weeks previous. ) Upon his return home, and while still in a lack-of-sleep-induced catatonic state, he did a load of laundry. Unfortunately, he failed to empty his pockets, and when I retreived the laundry from the washer, there was his soaking wet passport in the bottom of the tub.

We proceeded to dry it out on a register (just like you would your mitts) and although the pages and cover are a little crinkly, all the text and images in the passport are perfectly legible. For any experts out there, if he was to try using the passport would the fact that it looks like it's been through the washer cause him any grief? I'd rather not replace it if we don't have to because we just renewed them in November. If replacing it is necessary, obviously we'll do it.

I've tried calling the passport office, but I can never break through the busy signal. Anyone have any thoughts?

- Mike

 

[cabmom]

I've used a passport that a dog chewed up on me while I was in England yrs ago. The immigration guy just laughed at me. However, I think they will replace it for you without cost, but I'm not totally sure about that.

 

[mom_rules]

They turned my DS in law back at the airport-wouldn't let him board the plane to leave Canada. Passport went through the laundry and it wouldn't scan. He had to get a rush temporary passport issued in order to travel. This was the week before christmas.

 

[LindaM]

Same thing happened to my brother, he had to get it replaced with ALOT of hassle from the passport office. Not only did the passport office give him a hard time, he received a letter from the government on the importance of keeping his passport safe

 

[abbyndrewmom]

I got caught in a very bad rain storm in Cozumel a few years ago with my brand new passport in my purse. Everything including my passport got soaked!!! I was really worried about getting back into the US but the immigration officer said as long as it still scanned it would be okay, and it did. I am still using that passport and after numerous trips have only been questioned about it once (leaving Sweden of all places.) You can tell that the passport was water logged and the front cover is seperating. I don't know if there is a way you can tell if it is still scanable but that seems to be the important part.

 

[Nagle]

Mine went through the laundry a couple of years ago also. I did use it to drive into the USA a while later, and the Customs agent let me through, but told me to get a new one for the next time. Passport office informed me that I had to re-apply, they would not just replace it, and it cost me the full amount. It was also issued for only 3.5 years, until the expiry of the damaged one. There is actually a notation in the passport that states that this passport replaces a valid passport that was damaged. Frustrating experience, but the folks working at the passport office couldn't have been nicer.

John

 

[dsneygirl]

I've used a passport that a dog chewed up on me while I was in England yrs ago. The immigration guy just laughed at me. However, I think they will replace it for you without cost, but I'm not totally sure about that.

DH's passport has a dog bit out of it too It hasn't been an issue.

 

[Charleyann]

7 months 4 weeks and one day for us too!

Charleyann