The two holiday destinations with the strictest passport rules – where any damage could see you banned
AS passports get older, they are likely to take a battering from being taken in and our of your bag and handled by airport staff.
However, while some small marks and scuffs are allowed, there are two holiday destinations that have such strict rules, they could ban you from entering.
Minor wear like bending is generally not a concern, but anything considered "significant damage" - especially to the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and photo - could pose problems.
One popular destination renowned for penalising tourists with damaged passports is Indonesia.
Most holidaymakers head to Bali, which is known for its amazing beaches.
But the country also has some of the strictest passport damage laws in the world, with airlines fined thousands of pounds for any passengers who enter with one that is damaged.
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Passport damage is taken so seriously that visitors have been turned away from their flight, with immigration denying them entry to the country.
This can be due to the slightest wear on their travel documents, such as a small tear or unofficial markings
Earlier this year, Australian traveller, Matt Vandenberg was denied entry to Indonesia due to a minor tear on one page of his passport.
The tear, approximately one centimetre in size, was spotted by an immigration official when he arrived in Indonesia, leading to the confiscation of Vandenberg's passport and his exclusion from the country.
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He wrote: "Probably a good warning for people travelling to Indonesia - they do not mess around."
TikToker Emma was stopped from her flight to Bali after she was told that the water damage on her passport was not acceptable.
And back in February, traveller John Hammond was pulled aside at Immigration because of a "thumbnail size tear" - and was then detained.
Vietnam also has a zero-tolerance policy around damage to passports.
The UK Foreign Office states: "If you’re visiting Vietnam, your passport must have no damage.
"British nationals have been denied entry and exit due to passport damage."
The UK in Vietnam Facebook page reiterated: "Even minor damage to a passport can mean you are denied travel."
While Bali and Vietnam are some of the strictest for passport damage restrictions, most countries won't let you in if there is major damage.
For example, the United States has stringent rules when it comes to passport damage, which includes any sign of water damage, tears, missing visa pages or holes.
And last year, a woman from New Zealand was banned from her flight after her slightly damaged passport was rejected at the boarding gate.
Lindsey Gray was relocating from Sydney to New Zealand in March with her partner and her one-year-old son Douglas, who both were already New Zealand citizens.
It was only when she reached the airport that immigration officials spotted minor damage to a couple of pages on her passport and she was unable to board.
Normal "wear and tear" - including the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing - is expected and does not count as "damage".
Ilya Buravstov of Generations Visa Service that things like sunlight exposure can damage the chip, while some people even try and remove stamps and visas.
He said: "I’ve seen people who travel a lot think they can make some room in their passport, that they can peel out the full-page visas that you get from China or Egypt, or lift stamps from the page to make way for more.
"Once that’s done, you’ve mutilated your own passport, which constitutes damage, and they can tell because there will still be a mark.”
The most common damage, however, is water-related, Buravstov says, often due to leaving passports in the rain or spilling liquids on them.
Adding souvenir stamps, which are offered by some destinations as a novelty, can also lead to trouble and could even see you banned from travelling.
What to do if your passport is damaged
It's important to protect your passport from damage to avoid issues. Keep it in a secure, dry, and protective holder or wallet.
Avoid fiddling with it nervously when going through customs and never attempt to alter it yourself.
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Be aware that what seems harmless, like leaving your passport in your back pocket, can lead to damage and also keep it away from petdogs, as they’re known to chew on passports.
If your passport is damaged, there’s no repair service. The only solution is to replace it.
