If you’re an avid traveler, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of seeing your passport fill up with stamps, turning that once-blank travel document into a nostalgic little memory book.
But as delightful as it is to have a paper trail of evidence of your past adventures, your large stamp collection could lead to issues on future trips if you don’t pay close attention. That’s all due to a passport validity rule that many people overlook.
“One rule many travelers miss is needing an adequate number of blank pages in their passport for visas, and entry and exit stamps,” David Alwadish
, the founder and CEO of the passport and visa concierge service ItsEasy.com, told HuffPost. “This is often forgotten, especially by those with passports close to expiring or having only a few blank pages.”
The U.S. State Department did not set the blank pages rule, which stems from other countries’ requirements for international visitors.
“Some countries require passports to have at least two to four blank visa or stamp pages, and thus, some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met,” said Caroline Tanner, a trends writer at The Points Guy.
Just as travelers often need to have at least three to six months of passport validity beyond the dates of an international trip, they may also need to have a certain number of empty pages depending on the requirements at their destination.
“The basis for this rule is maintaining proper security measures and part of the entry and exit requirements,” Alwadish said. “Not meeting this requirement can cause problems at borders. If the traveler does not have the required blank pages in the passport, the passport will technically be invalid and the person may not be allowed to board the plane.”
He emphasized that airlines can bar passengers who do not meet the requirement from boarding their flights to avoid complications at the international destination.
“If for whatever reason it is overlooked in the U.S., the traveler may take a big risk once they arrive at their destination country, as every border patrol officer has the right to determine the outcome,” Alwadish explained. “They may have travelers detained, pay a fine or let them pass.”
Taking that kind of risk in a foreign country is not advisable, he added. And there’s a long list of countries that have this rule in place. Italy, Portugal, Singapore, Germany, India, Belgium, South Africa, the Netherlands, Cuba, Iceland, Zimbabwe and Indonesia are among the destinations that require two blank pages. Countries that require one page include France, Japan, Mexico, Greece, Thailand, Australia, Morocco, Argentina and Vietnam, among others. But you’ll need at least three blank pages if you want to visit Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar and Zambia.
“While some pages may be full of stamps, others might have one ― and just one stamp means that that page is not empty,” Alwadish cautioned.
Immigration authorities in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos have also emphasized that the “endorsement” pages found at the back of many passports are different from visa pages and thus do not count as blank pages for the purposes of entry and exit stamps. (Newer passports have the endorsement section closer to the front.)
Meanwhile, Armenia and Micronesia have no stated blank passport page requirements.
“Countries like Sweden and the Philippines don’t require a blank page on your passport, but rather sufficient space for entry and exit stamps,” Alwadish noted.
He recommended looking at the State Department’s website for a breakdown of the specific entry prerequisites for each country.
Keep in mind that blank page rules don’t just apply to U.S. visitors, either.
“This is true for all incoming travelers to the country, regardless of nationality, based on requirements set by individual countries for incoming visitors,” Tanner said.
Over time, frequent travelers may not need to worry as much about having enough empty passport pages.
“The issue of blank passport pages will likely become less of a significant problem for travelers as more countries are phasing out manual stamping of physical passport books,” Alwadish said. “The European Union is spearheading this shift with the introduction of the Entry/Exit System, intended to expedite the border control process and improve data accuracy.”
He explained that this new system uses biometric technology to scan travelers’ fingerprints and faces at border checkpoints.
“This data will then be stored and used to verify their arrival and exits, cross referenced with their passport information, removing the necessity for physical passport stamps,” he said.
But for now, immigration officers still need to ensure there are enough pages for stamps and visas. So travelers must remain vigilant.
“It is always best to make sure your passport is valid and has at least two blank pages,” Alwadish noted. “If a traveler does not have enough blank pages available, they cannot add more to their physical book.”
As of 2016, the U.S. government does not allow travelers to add extra pages to their existing passports. If they need more pages, they must renew their passports.
People who often travel internationally might want to consider choosing the option for a bigger passport with more visa pages. It’s no extra cost, and all you have to do is check the box that says “large book” when you fill out the form.
If you have an impending trip abroad, there are ways to get a new passport in a rush on your own or by paying a third party for expedited service. And of course, the best way to avoid adding extra stress and hassle is to keep track of your passport and ensure it’s compliant throughout the year.
Then all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy a nice international vacation.
