Damaged passport: can you still travel?

A passport that's water-damaged, torn or missing pages can be refused by your airline or at the border, even if it hasn't expired. Here's what each passport office counts as damage, and what to do.

If you think your passport is damaged

  • Compare it with what your passport office counts as damage, below.
  • If it's damaged, apply for a new one before you travel. Some passport offices won't let you renew a damaged passport online or by post.
  • Allow the full passport waiting time, and apply again for any ESTA, ETA or eTA once the new one arrives.

Countries known to turn away damaged passports

  • Thailand: Thai border officers are strict about passport condition. People have been refused entry with damaged passports.
  • Indonesia: Indonesia has refused entry to people with damaged passports, even for minor damage such as water marks or small tears.
  • Vietnam: Vietnam is strict about passport condition. People have been refused entry, and stopped from leaving, because their passport was damaged.
  • Morocco: Moroccan border officers have refused entry to some people with damaged passports.
  • Schengen area (UK passports): Portugal: you'll be refused entry if you try to use a damaged passport. Official guidance
  • Schengen area (Irish passports): Belgium: never travel on a passport that's damaged in any way, such as a torn cover or visa pages or a cracked photo page. Irish citizens have been detained at the border for this. Official guidance

Damaged US passport

What counts as damage

Normal wear and tear, such as folded pages or a small bend, doesn't count. Damage includes water damage, mould, stains, significant tears, unofficial markings, missing or torn-out visa pages and a hole punch. Don't add novelty or souvenir stamps, or write anything except your signature and emergency contact details: these can cause problems when you travel. Apply for your adult passport

Replacing it

You can't renew a damaged passport online or by mail. Apply in person on form DS-11, with the damaged passport and a signed statement explaining the damage. In the US, you apply at a passport acceptance facility, and an adult passport book costs $130 plus a $35 acceptance fee. Replacing a damaged passport (State Department FAQ)

Travelling on it

Airlines may refuse to let you board, or you could have problems abroad. The State Department says airline or border officials may reject a damaged passport and delay your trip.

  • If you've had several passports lost, stolen or damaged, your next one may only be valid for a limited time.
  • If your passport was damaged in a federally declared major disaster on the State Department's list, it can waive the fees for a replacement. Replace a passport after a disaster
  • Keep your passport somewhere cool and dry, away from heat, pets and children. In humid places, check it regularly for mould.

Damaged UK passport

What counts as damage

HM Passport Office treats a passport as damaged if you can't read any of your details, any pages are ripped, cut or missing, the cover has holes, cuts or rips or is coming away, or the pages are stained, for example by ink or water. A damaged chip counts too. Normal wear and tear doesn't, such as small tears at the edges of pages or slight crinkling from water at the page edges, as long as your details page is readable and the binding is intact. Replace a damaged UK passport

Replacing it

You must replace it. Apply online for £102, or on a paper form from the Post Office for £115.50, and send in the damaged passport. HM Passport Office may ask you how it was damaged. If you're outside the UK, there's a different way to apply. Replace a damaged UK passport

Travelling on it

You may not be able to travel on a damaged passport, so replace it before you go.

  • If the chip or another part fails because of a manufacturing fault rather than damage, HM Passport Office replaces the passport free, with the same expiry date. This doesn't apply if it has less than 12 months left.
  • HM Passport Office usually cancels the damaged passport and sends it back to you. It keeps it if it looks tampered with or is too badly damaged to return.

Damaged Irish passport

What counts as damage

The Department of Foreign Affairs doesn't publish a full list of what counts as damage. Its Belgium travel advice gives a torn cover or visa pages and cracks on the photo page as examples. Lost, stolen or damaged Irish passports

Replacing it

Apply for a new passport on Passport Online, which works from anywhere in the world, and say in the application that the old one is damaged. You'll need to send the damaged passport back. An adult passport costs €75, plus €15 postage if you live outside Ireland. It may take longer than usual, so don't book travel until your new passport arrives. Passport Online

Travelling on it

Don't travel on a damaged passport. It may cause problems when you cross international borders.

  • If your passport is damaged while you're abroad and you need a travel document to get home, contact the nearest Irish embassy or consulate.

Damaged Canadian passport

What counts as damage

The Government of Canada doesn't publish a list of what counts as damage. It tells you to protect your passport from water, for example in a plastic folder or waterproof pouch, and not to write in, deface or alter its pages, or add stickers. Damaged Canadian passports

Replacing it

Renew it if you're eligible, or apply for a new passport, whether you're in Canada, the US or elsewhere. You can't renew a damaged passport online. If it's still valid, add form PPTC 203 explaining what happened, and pay the regular passport fee. Canada may look into how it was damaged before issuing a new one, which can cause delays. Damaged Canadian passports

Travelling on it

A damaged passport can lead to long delays at passport checks, and you may be unable to cross a border or board a plane. Once you report it damaged, it's no longer valid for travel.

  • If you've had several passports lost, stolen or damaged, Canada may refuse to replace it or give you one that's valid for a much shorter time.
  • Government of Canada offices abroad can help you replace a damaged passport.

Damaged Australian passport

What counts as damage

Normal wear and tear shouldn't be a problem. Damage is minor if you can still be identified and read the details on the photo page, even if the photo page, stitching or visa pages are a bit damaged, and it hasn't been tampered with. It's major if, for example, you can't read the details or passport number, or it has been tampered with. Smartraveller says to check there are no tears or cuts in the pages, especially the photo page, and no marks across the photo or machine-readable zone. Damaged Australian passports

Replacing it

With minor damage and more than 2 years left, you can get a replacement for A$265, with the same expiry date. With less than 2 years left, you renew and pay the full fee. With major damage, you apply for a new passport. You hand in the damaged passport with form B11, saying when, where and how it was damaged. Allow at least 6 weeks. Damaged Australian passports

Travelling on it

Even minor damage can stop you boarding a flight or entering a country. If the damage makes officials suspect passport fraud, you could be detained.

  • Abroad, you apply in person at an Australian embassy or consulate, and must bring the damaged passport. The High Commission in London cancels it at your appointment and gives it back to you.

Damaged New Zealand passport

What counts as damage

New Zealand Passports doesn't publish a full list. It says damage can affect your photo and the chip, and that a passport that's water damaged, ripped or in bad condition may be refused entry. Check it for damage, stains and missing pages before you travel. Damaged New Zealand passports

Replacing it

Apply for a new passport online, from New Zealand or overseas, and declare the old one damaged in your application. It's cancelled as part of the process. An adult passport costs NZ$247, or NZ$494 if urgent. If you don't want a new one yet, declare it damaged online or on form PAS201 and post the damaged passport with it. Damaged New Zealand passports

Travelling on it

You can't use a damaged passport to travel. A passport that's water damaged, ripped or in bad condition may be refused entry, and damage can mean being refused boarding.

  • Travelling within 2 days? Apply for an urgent passport online, then call New Zealand Passports straight away. Urgent travel
  • If you're overseas and need to travel urgently, some New Zealand embassies can issue an emergency travel document (NZ$685, usually valid 7 months). Some countries, such as the USA, don't accept them, and an urgent passport can be quicker and cheaper.

The checker asks about your passport's condition and tells you to replace it if it's damaged.

Quick answers

When is a US passport too damaged to travel on?

Normal wear and tear, such as folded pages or a small bend, doesn't count. Damage includes water damage, mould, stains, significant tears, unofficial markings, missing or torn-out visa pages and a hole punch. Don't add novelty or souvenir stamps, or write anything except your signature and emergency contact details: these can cause problems when you travel. Airlines may refuse to let you board, or you could have problems abroad. The State Department says airline or border officials may reject a damaged passport and delay your trip.

When is a UK passport too damaged to travel on?

HM Passport Office treats a passport as damaged if you can't read any of your details, any pages are ripped, cut or missing, the cover has holes, cuts or rips or is coming away, or the pages are stained, for example by ink or water. A damaged chip counts too. Normal wear and tear doesn't, such as small tears at the edges of pages or slight crinkling from water at the page edges, as long as your details page is readable and the binding is intact. You may not be able to travel on a damaged passport, so replace it before you go.

When is a Irish passport too damaged to travel on?

The Department of Foreign Affairs doesn't publish a full list of what counts as damage. Its Belgium travel advice gives a torn cover or visa pages and cracks on the photo page as examples. Don't travel on a damaged passport. It may cause problems when you cross international borders.

When is a Canadian passport too damaged to travel on?

The Government of Canada doesn't publish a list of what counts as damage. It tells you to protect your passport from water, for example in a plastic folder or waterproof pouch, and not to write in, deface or alter its pages, or add stickers. A damaged passport can lead to long delays at passport checks, and you may be unable to cross a border or board a plane. Once you report it damaged, it's no longer valid for travel.

When is a Australian passport too damaged to travel on?

Normal wear and tear shouldn't be a problem. Damage is minor if you can still be identified and read the details on the photo page, even if the photo page, stitching or visa pages are a bit damaged, and it hasn't been tampered with. It's major if, for example, you can't read the details or passport number, or it has been tampered with. Smartraveller says to check there are no tears or cuts in the pages, especially the photo page, and no marks across the photo or machine-readable zone. Even minor damage can stop you boarding a flight or entering a country. If the damage makes officials suspect passport fraud, you could be detained.

When is a New Zealand passport too damaged to travel on?

New Zealand Passports doesn't publish a full list. It says damage can affect your photo and the chip, and that a passport that's water damaged, ripped or in bad condition may be refused entry. Check it for damage, stains and missing pages before you travel. You can't use a damaged passport to travel. A passport that's water damaged, ripped or in bad condition may be refused entry, and damage can mean being refused boarding.

Checked 28 October 2026 against US Department of State, GOV.UK, Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, Government of Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Australian Passport Office, Australian High Commission, United Kingdom, Smartraveller, Australian Embassy, Japan, Australian Embassy, Thailand, New Zealand Passports, New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, Govt.nz, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland and US Embassy & Consulate in Thailand.

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