U.S. Passport

Post by **tutone** » September 1, 2015, 5:29 pm

Just received this message from U.S. embassy in Bangkok.

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai inform U.S. citizens that

· After December 31, 2015, the Department of State will no longer add extra visa pages to U.S. passports.

· U.S. citizens applying for passports outside of the United States will receive 52-page passport books. The 52-page passport book will cost the same as 28-page passport book would.

· Renew your passport early to make sure you have enough blank pages for visa stamps from other countries. Some countries require two blank pages for their entry and exit stamps.

· See travel.state.gov for more information on entry, exit, and foreign visa requirements.

Post by **parrot** » September 2, 2015, 4:39 am

Last I checked, ACS is due in Udon on 16 Oct. One of the major bennies that the US Embassy provides its citizens!.....since at least 1996.

Post by **rct** » September 2, 2015, 10:06 am

I received that email too....this change creates a lot more work and hassle all around, I need inserts of additional pages about every two years. So a new passport might last 4 and need to be renewed in 3.5 to be safe...

Post by **Udon Map** » September 2, 2015, 6:14 pm

Interestingly, rct, I needed extra pages in early 2013. Made the appointment online, went in and was chatting with the guy behind the counter as he looked through my passport. It was relatively new then. He observed that I was only 2½ years into a new passport and already I needed extra pages.

When I got it back, it happened to be the same guy behind the counter. I looked through the passport and noticed that he had added two of those extra page booklets into my passport. I mentioned it to him and asked if I had to pay an extra fee for the second set of pages. He said, and I quote, "You're obviously going to need them. This will just save you some time down the road. Consider it a gift from your government."

Verrry nice!

Post by **FrazeeDK** » September 3, 2015, 8:36 am

that was right nice of the fellow. But, don't expect service like that too often.. Consular services are run on a fee schedule as most of you know.. Extra pages used to be free, then they started charging.. Now you'll get the 52 page booklet with no provision for extra pages.. And no, you can't have a second passport (more's the shame)..

And just how much does the U.S. Department of State collect from Consular fees?? Well, in 2012 it was over three billion dollars.. With the rise in Consular fees it likely another couple of hundred million for 2015.. http://diplopundit.net/2013/08/12/snaps ... 1-billion/