Durability of New Australian Passports

[JohnK]

The time has come to renew my old passport. I have managed to get close to 10 years use out of it and it is still in reasonable condition even though it was getting difficult to read the details when scanned.

How are the new passports holding up for those who have had the new passports for a couple of years and travel frequently?

I was thinking of getting a 64 page passport (not cheap at $312) but I am also worried that I will not be able to get full use out of it as I carry my passport in my shirt pocket most of the time while I am overseas.

Any advice or thoughts?

 

[flyer4703]

My passport is a couple of years old now and holding up well, although the first thing I do when I arrive at my destination is to put it in the room safe, not really to preserve the condition of the passport but because of my ability to loose anything I carry on me.

 

[dajop]

I was thinking of getting a 64 page passport (not cheap at $312) but I am also worried that I will not be able to get full use out of it as I carry my passport in my shirt pocket most of the time while I am overseas.

Ditto re shirt pocket when in transit and safe when in hotel. Have a nearly 2 year old 64 page passport - which does get a lot of use - and the passport and it is holding up OK, although it doesn't stand up too well to the humidity can get almost a little "saggy" in constant humidity (which living in Singapore means that it is often in better condition when travelling than at home ...)

 

[notzac]

Mine is doing okay as well - but I'm also fairly careful with it. I've got a travel wallet thingy which it lives in most of the time, so there's really no good reason for it to get damaged either.

 

[SeaWolf]

How about the chip in the middle of them? I've seen that it's held there by two pages glued together and never looked very sturdy to me. Anyone had any issues with those pages coming loose or the chip not working?

 

[straitman]

How about the chip in the middle of them? I've seen that it's held there by two pages glued together and never looked very sturdy to me. Anyone had any issues with those pages coming loose or the chip not working?

Not yet but mine is only 6 months old thus far. It seems to be sturdy but who knows on the longer term.

 

[notzac]

Anyone had any issues with those pages coming loose or the chip not working?

Mine is coming up to three years with no problems - whatever glue they use, it's good

 

[Voyages]

Mine is 4 years old, and still in an excellent condition. The chip in the middle holds well.

I think the 64 page one (abeit not cheap) is a good idea. My (32 pages) passport has 10 pages left, mostly because the customs officers stamped it all over the places.

 

[JohnK]

Ditto re shirt pocket when in transit and safe when in hotel. Have a nearly 2 year old 64 page passport - which does get a lot of use - and the passport and it is holding up OK, although it doesn't stand up too well to the humidity can get almost a little "saggy" in constant humidity (which living in Singapore means that it is often in better condition when travelling than at home ...)

Since I found out how easily reception staff can open the safes I am sceptical about leaving anything in the hotel room when I am not the room. So it will have to be shirt pocket during the day and hotel safe at night.

I guess I need to make sure I keep the passport in a plastic cover which should help it's durability.

 

[simongr]

I keep my passport in a thin leather case and that has protected my UK passport well - I should get an Oz passport shortly and will be getting a second cover for that one as well.

 

[Mal]

I guess I need to make sure I keep the passport in a plastic cover which should help it's durability.

There are good passport holders around - I used to use a Samsonite one which was great, currently using one made from sail material which is pretty good, but not rigid (which is both good and bad as it can cause the passport to bend). Storing my passport (in case) in my jeans pocket all the time doesn't help with wear and tear either.

The worst thing you can do is to store a passport without a cover in a pair of trousers or jeans (and shirt isn't too much better). They are very easily damaged when stored in those ways (esp. when travelling in hot countries in Asia etc).

 

[dajop]

Since I found out how easily reception staff can open the safes I am sceptical about leaving anything in the hotel room when I am not the room. So it will have to be shirt pocket during the day and hotel safe at night.

Each to their own I guess. I have had never anything taken from a safe - and I am talking of hundreds of times here not just three or four occassions, nor have I heard of anyone who has. I know a number of people who have had things stolen from their person during the day. I would rather put my faith in a reputable hotel than myself to carry it around and not lose it or have it stolen, and assume that systemic problems with safe theft would make their way onto websites - such as trip advisor - pretty quickly.

 

[JohnK]

Each to their own I guess.... I would rather put my faith in a reputable hotel than myself to carry it around and not lose it or have it stolen, and assume that systemic problems with safe theft would make their way onto websites - such as trip advisor - pretty quickly.

But reputable hotels also come at a cost.

I pay peanuts to stay in my current hotel of choice (700 baht/night) where as places like the Sheraton, Hard Rock, Mercure etc want over 2,000 baht night. I cannot justify spending that much money on a hotel room and over 10-11 nights that is a significant saving considering I am out playing golf and drinking most of the day and only need to sleep in the room at nights.

By the way don't get me wrong I have never had a problem in my current hotel of choice but just cannot be certain what they get up to when I am not there. Better safe than sorry and just have to make do with shirt pocket (or trouser/jean pockets) for carrying passport for now.

 

[flyer4703]

Since I found out how easily reception staff can open the safes I am sceptical about leaving anything in the hotel room when I am not the room.

After having a safe malfunction at a hotel in Hong Kong and seeing the difficulty they had in opening it to retrieve my things I always feel quite secure using them.
To get the safe open required the hotel manager, assistant manager and two maintenance men with a large a large drill, hammers and chisels for two hours!!

 

[TanyaGordon]

ThinkGeek :: RFID Blocking Passport Billfold - This is a good case, but I'm not that paranoid.

ThinkGeek :: Duct Tape Passport Holder by Ducti - This is the case I use, my passport is 7 yrs old and looks like new.

 

[tuppaware]

They fall apart at the drop of a hat
I've had two os trips in 2 years and mine has fallen to bits.

 

[thewinchester]

My current passport is an 2009 issue standard N series, featuring the ePassport RFID circuit. Passport is holding up well from frequent use as a primary ID document. Before that, I had a 1999 issue standard and that lasted perfectly for its 10-year life.

I prefer to store my passport in a holder, specifically a leather J-FOLD. They are perfectly thin, and stores my membership cards of choice for the trip without a problem.

 

[MrHyde]

My passport itself is holding up well. It is just over 2 years old and in that time I have done over a 100 international trips. I don't take care of my passport. It is normally in my back pocket during flights and in my backpack the rest of the time. I don't have a sleeve or pocket for it and occasionally put it in safes. 90% of the time it is just in my backpack lying around the bottom somewhere.

The chip is another story though. It only worked for the first 6 times or so. After that, the readers would give me the ticket, but then the facial recognition would always fail. I still tried it as it still meant getting in front of the people waiting with Express cards.

About 2 months ago, it has gotten worse. The chip is no longer recognised by the readers anymore. No use even trying to go through there now.

 

[JohnK]

Great ideas about the passport wallet/holder. It looks like it could easily fit into my trouser pocket and would assist in spreading the cash burden as well between shirt pocket, passport holder in front pocket and wallet in other front pocket or back pocket.

To get the safe open required the hotel manager, assistant manager and two maintenance men with a large a large drill, hammers and chisels for two hours!!

Sounds like a high quality safe not like the cheap safes used in most budget hotels.

I did not get to use my in room safe during last trip as I managed to forget the password 3 times and asked reception to open safe for me (she could open it in less than 2 minutes) and show me how to use it. Still managed to lock myself out. :shock:

 

[Smackbum]

My passport itself is holding up well. It is just over 2 years old and in that time I have done over a 100 international trips. I don't take care of my passport. It is normally in my back pocket during flights and in my backpack the rest of the time. I don't have a sleeve or pocket for it and occasionally put it in safes. 90% of the time it is just in my backpack lying around the bottom somewhere.

The chip is another story though. It only worked for the first 6 times or so. After that, the readers would give me the ticket, but then the facial recognition would always fail. I still tried it as it still meant getting in front of the people waiting with Express cards.

About 2 months ago, it has gotten worse. The chip is no longer recognised by the readers anymore. No use even trying to go through there now.

A perfect example of why s[h]itting on your passport is a bad move. I keep my 2 x GBR passports in one of the cheap plastic folders that the wife's Oz passport was delivered in. Keeps the passport looking as good as new and it never has issues with the scanners - even LAX was a breeze last week (I look after my fingerprints too!).