Damaged Passport Issue

[Maria&Robert 0]

Well, its a longshot...

In May 2005 when my fiance Maria and I were staying with her family in Posadas my passport was sent through the wash cycle.

I immediately cut small squares out of some plastic bags and inserted them between each page. And dabbed the pages dry as well. Then I placed the passport, with the plastic, underneath a stack of books.

I looked at it a day later it looked pretty good. Some of the entry and exit stamps from Argentina were smudged. I got out Argentina and then into Brasil and then into USA no problem, with it.

I recently took it to the passport office and the clerk said it was still usable, but then he tugged at the cover and first page (page with the photo) apart. Now, its not fine. That is the test, if the cover is damaged then the passport is useless.

Ive sent the damaged passport out for processing in order to recieve a new passport. They will send the old one back to me, voided, along with the new one.

Now, inside the passport is my Brasilian tourist visa glued to a page of the passport. I recieved the Brasilian visa in 2003 and it is valid until december of 2008.

Does anyone know if I will have to get a new Brasilian tourist visa for the new passport? Even though the visa in the old passport hasnt expired yet?

OR does the passport office automatically contact the Brasilian Embassy and create a new visa into the passport?? I guess not.

Anyone ever had a problem like this with a damaged passport containing a valid foriegn visa?

Holy Bungetry....

Ive just realized that on all paperwork up to this point I have used the old passport number. I dont even have the new passport number yet. Since they WILL send the old passport back, voided, along with the new one, I hope at the interview in Buenos Aires, the fact that the old passport is voided is not going to be a problem?? Anyone know?

[Ladylethal 12]

I think you´ll still need to use the old passport along with the new to use your visa and no, they don´t send a new one or switch it to the new passport.

[Maria&Robert 0]

Just as I suspected....thanks again.

[eclowjpd 0]

I got a Brazilian visa stamp in my passport in 2004. This passport expired in 2005. The Brazilian consulate in Chicago assured me that the visa in the expired passport is still valid. I must carry both passports when traveling to Brazil and have done so 5 times since the the passport with the visa stamp expired. No problem at Brazil entry point at all. One time an airline checkin person in US did not think it was valid. Another clerk straightened her out.

[Maria&Robert 0]

Awesome man.

Im really glad to hear that. Its very encouraging news. I was really hoping that I wouldnt have to go and pay for another Brasilian Visa, so far so good. It looks like I will still have to call the Brasilian Consulate tho and ask them about whether or not the fact that the damaged passport was sent into the washing machine and the pen ink that was used on the Brasilian tourist visa is slightly blurred, slightly, I will ask them if that may be an issue.

It is perfectly readable. I think the only possible flag it may raise is suspicion about whether or not it was tampered with. I will post the Brasilian Consulates answer to that in this thread, in case it can be of help to anyone.

[eclowjpd 0]

I emailed the consulate They emailed back that my Visa was valid. I printed the email and carried it with me just in case any problem at the entry point of Brazil.

Awesome man.

Im really glad to hear that. Its very encouraging news. I was really hoping that I wouldnt have to go and pay for another Brasilian Visa, so far so good. It looks like I will still have to call the Brasilian Consulate tho and ask them about whether or not the fact that the damaged passport was sent into the washing machine and the pen ink that was used on the Brasilian tourist visa is slightly blurred, slightly, I will ask them if that may be an issue.

It is perfectly readable. I think the only possible flag it may raise is suspicion about whether or not it was tampered with. I will post the Brasilian Consulates answer to that in this thread, in case it can be of help to anyone.