Passport perforation discolouration

[agoonotngaa]

Hi there,
Thanks very much to this wonderful AFF community for all the wealth of expert knowledge and support you provide to us all.
It is really appreciated. This is the first time I have raised a question so please bear with me if I haven't used the right format or posted it in the right forum.

I am travelling to the UK in August and had a look at our Australian passports and UK passports to check they are in date. All good on the expiry front but I noticed that around the perforated numbers there has been some brownish discolouration around some of the numbers and only on some of the pages. I am not sure what the reason for this is because other passports (old UK Passports) that i have are not suffering the same problem. The rest of the passport is fine. No damage, rips, tears, water damage etc. The photo page and electronic chip page are all fine.

Can I please ask if other people are experiencing this same problem? And also, is this classed as "damage" which will stop me being able to use my passport when i go through customs in UAE, Finland, Singapore, UK and Australia?

Thanks for all your help

 

[sqrt()]

I have noticed the same discolouration on my passport (almost six years old). It's reasonably well used, though not tattered. I've had no problems having it scan or be manually inspected in the US, Fiji, Russia, Japan, SE Asia or Europe.

 

[agoonotngaa]

I have noticed the same discolouration on my passport (almost six years old). It's reasonably well used, though not tattered. I've had no problems having it scan or be manually inspected in the US, Fiji, Russia, Japan, SE Asia or Europe.

Hi sqrt(): Great. Thanks, that is good to know. I was a bit worried when I saw it.

 

[Scarlett]

Mine had the same from new. Not been a problem.

I assume it’s from the micro drilling or stamping of the passport number holes through each page, or a small amount of some lubricant used in that process.

 

[Amanad78]

My husband's passport is the same, some pages quite discoloured around the perforations. It's less than a year old and unused.
He's flying to NZ soon and was going to ring the passport office. I said, hang on, I'll check on AFF and sure enough, this thread popped up!

 

[Belle8585]

It’s considered ‘laser burn’ from the etching of the passport number into the pages

I have taken my passport into the Australian Passport Office to confirm the document is still valid for use and not considered wear/tear/damage

They are supplying me with an official letter to present if requested (I’m travelling back to Indonesia - notorious for picking apart any passport issue)

Fingers crossed it’s sufficient

Post automatically merged: Jun 11, 2024

It’s considered ‘laser burn’ from the etching of the passport number into the pages

I have taken my passport into the Australian Passport Office to confirm the document is still valid for use and not considered wear/tear/damage

They are supplying me with an official letter to present if requested (I’m travelling back to Indonesia - notorious for picking apart any passport

 

[Seat0B]

Good luck with your travels @Belle8585 and welcome to posting on AFF.

 

[TracyLC]

It’s considered ‘laser burn’ from the etching of the passport number into the pages

I have taken my passport into the Australian Passport Office to confirm the document is still valid for use and not considered wear/tear/damage

They are supplying me with an official letter to present if requested (I’m travelling back to Indonesia - notorious for picking apart any passport issue)

Fingers crossed it’s sufficient

Post automatically merged: Jun 11, 2024

It’s considered ‘laser burn’ from the etching of the passport number into the pages

I have taken my passport into the Australian Passport Office to confirm the document is still valid for use and not considered wear/tear/damage

They are supplying me with an official letter to present if requested (I’m travelling back to Indonesia - notorious for picking apart any passport

Belle8585, how did you get on? Did you need to show the letter in Indonesia? I am heading there in 5 weeks and my passport has similar issues. Which passport office did you get the letter from please, and did you have to show your passport in person first? Thanks