Easy Methods To Get Extra Passport Pages   by Ben Pate

in Travel / Travel Tips    (submitted 2011-07-10)

A passport is issued with only twenty-four blank pages. For many people, this is enough but for people who travel abroad often, the number of pages is too few. A person can request three refills during the life of their travel document. If the refills are used up before the expiration date, it is necessary to apply for extra passport pages if you want to continue to travel out of the country.

Although a U.S. passport is valid for ten years, if you are a frequent traveler, you stand the chance of running out of pages before your renewal date. A good rule to follow is that it is time to purchase a refill if your passbook sheets get down to four blanks. This will help you avoid any issues when traveling.

It will be very difficult to travel in foreign countries when your visa sheets run low. Although your travel document is not expired, if you do not have enough pages for a country's stamps, you may not be allowed entry. Some countries need a few pages for their entrance and exit stamp.

It is possible to check with the country you will be visiting to find out how many blank sheets you will need. However, it might be easier just to go ahead and request a refill when you find you are down to the last four. Being prepared will avoid any problems when traveling.

To add extra sheets to your travel document, you will be required to complete a form requesting the extra visa sheets. Once you have completed the form, it is to be mailed along with your valid travel document to the Department of State. The additional blank sheets will be attached to your travel document and it will be returned to you. Check to see what the current fee for refills is before sending off the request.

There are only three page refills allowed for each passport issued. Since refills are limited, individuals who travel often use them up before the document's expiration date. Many people who travel abroad frequently will often find that they must renew the travel document earlier than the date of expiration because they have used their refills.

There is a specific form that will have to be completed when renewing your travel document. It is necessary to include the old passport when you mail the application and the fee for renewal. A lot of people will often ask to have the old document returned to them with the new travel document. These cancelled documents are kept by the travel as mementos of their travels.

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Adding the additional new passport pages or renewing the travel document depends on if you have used the allotted refills or if the travel document is soon to be expired. There are a number of countries that require a few sheets to stamp for entry and exit. Those who travel often will run out of blank sheets quickly and even those who travel outside the US may need to refill before their American passport expires. Contact the Department of State to get the right fees and forms for refills when needed.