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Q: Adding passport pages
Any Americans have experience adding pages to their passports? What's the process like, how long does it take?
8 years 13 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
You are a bit late to add pages to your USA passport, and may even have to thanks eCC for this.
As of January 1 of 2016, the USA Embassies have stopped adding pages to passports, If yours is full or near full, you MUST RENEW it. No other choice after Jan 1, 2016.
And why thank eCC? I posted it around the beginning of December 2015, but the post was deleted within two hours of me posting it because it had no relation to China. Yet, we see posts like "Who is your favorite for President of USA"?, or " How do I break with my girlfriend"? among many others that the Adm Cat allows to run. This is one of the reasons I am seldom participating nowadays. Too much favoritism towards some, and apply rules to the letter to others.
expatlife26:
aww shit that's a shame. Wonder why they stopped offering that service.
Ive done this, its easy as 1,2,3... 1. Make an appointment on the Embassy site, 2. Fill out the forms. 3. Than take your passport and yourself to the Embassy and wait an hour or so and they will hand you back your passport same day.. If you are going to the Guangzhou, China U.S embassy don't bring your cell phone because this still a some what new embassy so they didn't allow people to bring in their cell phones nor do they help you hold or keep it safe for you, I hid mine by using a bag and dug a hole and kept it well hidden until I was finished.
ironman510:
please give me thumb down click, looks like we can't add pages anymore
the next time you renew request extra pages, there in no charge for this, but most people dont ask for extra pages.
ironman510:
If you live in Shenzhen or near by adding pages is useful because going in and out of Hong Kong / China fills up those pages pretty fast, thats why some friends and plan to travel 3 times this year to get that E-Pass
Spiderboenz:
What is the value of getting a new passport versus getting pages added when the passport has over 3 years of validity left?
You are a bit late to add pages to your USA passport, and may even have to thanks eCC for this.
As of January 1 of 2016, the USA Embassies have stopped adding pages to passports, If yours is full or near full, you MUST RENEW it. No other choice after Jan 1, 2016.
And why thank eCC? I posted it around the beginning of December 2015, but the post was deleted within two hours of me posting it because it had no relation to China. Yet, we see posts like "Who is your favorite for President of USA"?, or " How do I break with my girlfriend"? among many others that the Adm Cat allows to run. This is one of the reasons I am seldom participating nowadays. Too much favoritism towards some, and apply rules to the letter to others.
expatlife26:
aww shit that's a shame. Wonder why they stopped offering that service.
Just in case what happyexpat said is not true, the "extra pages" for the passport just means they past pages on both sides of an existing page instead of just one.
I had some extra pages added several years ago in HK. Was pretty easy, but wasn't same day service. But I think I read that too on their website that they weren't going to be adding pages anymore. Like Mace said, when you apply for a new PP be sure to ask for the extra pages version. That is a must these days.
I renewed mine about a year ago via an agency, kinda surprised me they would do that, but they did. I never even had to go to the consulate (Qingdao).
I normally do not reply or join controversies, but to see which one of HappyExPat or hi2u is correct, please go to
http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2015/09/03/us-embassy-discontinue-addin...
and read.
For those that can not reach the website indicated, I copy and paste below:
US Embassy to Discontinue Adding Pages to Passports at End of 2015
Sep 3, 2015 1:30 pm
- Beijing News
- Travel
- United States
- Passport
- US embassy
- Embassy of the United States of America
- Beijing
- Steven Schwankert
- Quote
- 4745 reads
The Embassy of the United States of America in China will discontinue adding pages to American passports as of December 31, 2015, with holders required to apply for new documents after that point, the US Embassy informed the Beijinger Thursday by email.
The Beijinger could not independently verify the email – it seems strange to receive such an official communication on a public holiday – and the US Embassy in China has not posted any such information to its website. However, the information is consistent with announcements posted and reported elsewhere, including on the US Embassy in Japan's website.
"For cost and security reasons, the U.S. Department of State has begun phasing out the option of additional visa pages for U.S. passports. Beginning October 1, 2014, all Embassies/Consulates worldwide will issue only 52-page passport books for full-validity passports. The thinner 28-page book option is no longer available. Requests for additional visa pages will be accepted for existing passports only through December 31, 2015. Starting January 1, 2016, applicants who need extra pages will need to apply to renew their passports and be issued the standard 52-page book," the US Embassy in Japan posted.
For US passport holders, this sucks. Whereas adding pages to an existing passport is currently a 20-minute errand at the US Citizen Services offices, it's now about to become the same hassle that citizens of other countries including the UK must accept. Fifty-two pages provides quite a bit of room for entry and exit stamps and visas, but for frequent travelers, it means applying for a new passport much sooner than the 10-year validity permits.
Travelers, especially Beijing-based, frequent, international travelers will now have to plan for their annual 10 business-day visa renewal, plus the occasional passport renewal. Holders of a 10-year China visa may find themselves not one, but two passports beyond the original that holds the visa itself. Don't forget to take off your belt and shoes.
More stories by this author here.
Email: stevenschwankert@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @greatwriteshark
Weibo: @SinoScuba潜水
And another website address is:
https://www.usembassy.gov/index.html
And one of the news is :
- Follow us:
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-->Thu Jan 21 2016 22:20:21 GMT+0800 (China Standard Time)
- Changes to U.S. Passports
After December 31 no extra visa pages will be added to U.S. passports. Instead, 52-page passport books will be issued at no extra cost to U.S. citizens applying from outside the United States. Press Release »
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/news/visa-pages-no-longer-i...
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travel.state.gov > Passports & International Travel > Newsroom > Extra Visa Pages no Longer Issued Effective January 1, 2016
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The CAPTCHA code you entered is not valid, please reenter the CAPTCHA code NewsroomExtra Visa Pages no Longer Issued Effective January 1, 2016 November 19, 2015
The U.S. Department of State will no longer add visa pages into U.S. passports beginning January 1, 2016. Previously, U.S. passport holders had the option to pay for the insertion of additional 24-page visa inserts when valid passports lacked adequate space for entry or exit visa stamps. The decision to discontinue this service was made to enhance the security of the passport and to abide by international passport standards.
To mitigate the impact on frequent travelers, the Department began issuing 52-page passports to all applicants outside the United States starting October 1, 2014 for no additional cost. Applicants within the United States may choose a 28-page or 52-page book.
Requests for additional 24-page visa inserts will only be accepted until December 31, 2015. Beginning January 1, 2016, applicants in need of additional pages in their valid passports must obtain a new passport.
For more information on how or where to apply, please visit Travel.State.Gov/ApplyEarly or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778/1-888-874-7793 (TTY/TTD).
For media inquiries please contact: CAPRESSREQUESTS@state.gov.
Hotwater:
@ hi2u. You wrote "just in case happyexpat is not correct".........so happyexpat has shown you that he was correct.
HK states that they no longer add pages. Whether or not that applies to every consulate is unclear. GZ has not changed the info listed on their site. I plan on calling to be sure.
Hey, make sure you understand that now, if you run out of pages on your USA passport, instead of getting added pages for about 120+ dollars, you get a new passport with 52 pages free. Just want to make that point very clear.
ironman510:
and to add on that point, if I heard correctly you can renew a U.S passport whenever you wish, even if its a year old and you don't like the picture you can renew it even if there are 9 years left, at least I heard someone say that.
