Without passports people from our country would not be allowed to travel anywhere in the world. They are required for anyone who is traveling outside the United States for whatever reason. If you already have a passport, you must make sure it is in no way damaged or illegible. It is the same as money, no one is going to accept a bill that is torn up, and no one is going to accept a passport that is all beat up. If you have a damaged United States passport you will need to get a replacement.
Alerting Authorities
If you have a damaged passport you will need to tell the proper authorities so you can begin the process of getting a replacement passport. This is also to ensure the agency in question that you do not have the intention of trying to use the damaged passport. They classify damage as anything on the passport that would raise suspicion as to its validity. It is important that you keep your passport damage free by keeping it in a secure location when not in use. If you have a damaged passport and you think it might be a problem, take it to a passport agency and see what they say about it. You may need to get a replacement passport.
Normal Damage
Like any other paper document, passports will develop wear and tear over the course of time. Bent pages or fanning of your passport will be acceptable to customs agents so long as the rest of the passport you possess is legible. That is what they mean by considerable damage. Anything beyond normal wear and tear will be inspected, and probably deemed invalid. It is a good idea if you fall into this category to go ahead and get the application for passport renewal in the case that you will not be able to use your old passport.
Getting A Replacement
Once you have reported that you have a damaged passport to the proper authorities you will be able to begin the process of getting a replacement. The process is actually very similar to that of getting your original passport. You will have to turn in your damaged passport before you will be allowed to collect your replacement. This is in order to prevent passport fraud.
Expedition
If, for whatever reason, you are in a rush to travel and need a replacement passport you will have to provide evidence why you need to travel so quickly. Additionally, there may be a few fees you must pay before you get your new passport expedited. You will need to show your travel itinerary to officials so they can determine if your request is valid or not. Usually, they are good with accommodating individuals that must travel overseas in a short amount of time that did not realize their passport was severely damaged.
Online Services
One of the best ways to obtain these passport services is to go online. There, you will be able to choose from a multitude of companies that offer a wide variety of passport services. You can get a replacement passport much more quickly this way. Though, it should be noted this route is the most expensive option.
In reality, if you have a damaged United States passport it is not the hardest problem to correct. You will have to follow strict guidelines to get a new one. However, if you follow all the instructions carefully, you will be able to travel overseas as you had originally planned. Make sure to scout out the best passport service company online, though. That way you can be sure you are trusting your passport needs to a respected agency and you will not have to worry about not getting your replacement passport in time.
