Passport went through the wash.

Damaged passport 6 days till holiday?

• Hi me and a few friends are flying out to orlando this friday and i recieved a phone call from my mate saying his passport has just went through the wash and is completely ruined. ...show more

• Answer:

  It sounds like the government employee was just giving you/him the standard response to the phone question about replacing a damaged passport - they can't actually know based on a phone call so they give you the worst-case scenario. In reality, LOTS of people wash their passports or otherwise need to replace them. It won't really be a problem unless your friend's identity is shaky. He does need to apply for a > new < ESTA confirmation once he has the new passport: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/business_pleasure/vwp/faq_vwp.xml#UpdatingYourESTA He can apply almost at the last minute - it doesn't have to be "three days in advance" as it was when the program was first implemented. He also needs to update any passport info he already provided to the airline. ------------------------------------- Citizens of about 35 countries can travel to the USA for up to 90 days at a time as a tourist or for some business purposes by registering for ESTA > before < their trip begins. The cost is US$14, which is similar to the fee for the Australian ETA program. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/?p=129 Registering is accomplished online, you don't need the details of your trip, and the confirmation is valid for multiple trips to the USA over two (2) years so don't wait until the last minute. Print the confirmation - or at least record the number - and keep the information with your passport. Having a return or onward ticket leaving North America is a requirement, so have a copy of your airline itinerary at passport control. Check with your health insurance to find out if it covers you in the USA and pays for medical evacuation to your home. If yes then take proof of coverage with you. If no or not sure then get trip medical insurance, which is cheap and sold by airlines & travel agents. The USA has wonderful medical care but it isn't free or even cheap. Please do not skimp on this as an otherwise-silly accident could turn into a crisis if you don't have medical insurance. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1470.html If someday you plan a long visit then DON'T schedule your departure day for the 90th day (any part of a day in the USA counts as a whole day, so if you arrive at 23:59h on the 1st and leave at 00:01h on the 10th it is 10 days in the USA). Schedule your departure not later than the 88th day as there are no (zero) provisions in the Visa Waiver Program for someone to voluntarily extend their stay. If you miss your flight due to something Immigration might consider avoidable (ex. flat tire on the way to the airport) they may ban you from using the VWP in the future.