A sad goodbye to M*****0 (passport expiry)

[Phillippe M]

Had planned to keep using my M series passport up to a few weeks before expiry with a trip to a country that doesn't have the 6 month thing.

Is there a list of countries that don't require the 6 months validity on the passports?

 

[andyhui01]

To those that are using fairly old passports. Always ensure you have a blank page on your passport before you board the plane. I learnt the hard way and experienced my one and only IDB by the gate staff.

 

[Vic]

Is there a list of countries that don't require the 6 months validity on the passports?

I don't know. I just check each country individually when planning a trip. Need a visa? and passport going to be ok?

 

[Wong.a]

I'll be glad to get rid of this passport– its edges are frayed and is almost full. I received it during my teens, and so (I want to believe) I've grown away from longstanding cherubic appearances.

Now if Australia could design their passports to look like that of Norway's…

 

[PMHI]

Tip for first time you use the new passport with the automatic depart readers at Sydney airport. The machine may not read properly until the passport lies flat in the reader. Brand new passports tend to lie open like a slight peaked roof. After opening beyond 180 degrees a few times then passport will lie flat and reader works. (Today's useless information.)

 

[cgichard]

Thanks for the tip. This may well apply at MEL too. Is it a good idea to carry the old passport as well? Going to Europe, not the States - I know there were problems there with some new passports.

 

[Franky]

Tip for first time you use the new passport with the automatic depart readers at Sydney airport. The machine may not read properly until the passport lies flat in the reader. Brand new passports tend to lie open like a slight peaked roof. After opening beyond 180 degrees a few times then passport will lie flat and reader works. (Today's useless information.)

Not necessarily useless. Both my old, and now new (DEC16) passports don't work at the departure gates in Perth, though no issues with either passport coming home. Having spent a small fortune for my new passport, I'm more than peeved that I have to be processed manually. It is obviously an issue with the new gates, as they now have a dedicated aisle to the side for the rejects to be processed manually. Will take your hint next time going outbound.

 

[Goodonya]

My M-series passport expires in Dec and my upcoming trip in June has me a few days short of the required 6-months on the return journey so renewal application has just been submitted. I was lucky, I guess, that the cover was disfigured with a clean straight cut so can't complain. I was hoping to get this one last trip before its retirement. It only had two empty pages left anyway. Flicking through the pages and reminiscing the 110 odd stamps and visas brought back many memories. The number only had 4 different numbers to remember and had a nice symmetry to it as well.
A sad goodbye indeed.

 

[Virgin Bart]

View attachment 97543

My M-series passport expires in Dec and my upcoming trip in June has me a few days short of the required 6-months on the return journey so renewal application has just been submitted. I was lucky, I guess, that the cover was disfigured with a clean straight cut so can't complain. I was hoping to get this one last trip before its retirement. It only had two empty pages left anyway. Flicking through the pages and reminiscing the 110 odd stamps and visas brought back many memories. The number only had 4 different numbers to remember and had a nice symmetry to it as well.
A sad goodbye indeed.

Interesting​ damage! Do you know what caused it?

 

[serfty]

Interesting​ damage! Do you know what caused it?

That's what happens when your passport gets renewed.

The "machine readable" part on the face page (inside front cover) of the old passport gets cut off and destroyed.

 

[JessicaTam]

I will be saying farewell to my M... soon. Just checked - 130 stamps, with a couple more to come.

 

[JohnK]

Just picked up my PA* series passport. Nice. Passport number and expiry date memorised first go.

 

[marki]

Please explain for the uninitiated ( head Scratching)

 

[serfty]

M series PP's were amongst the first to be e-passport.

They came in 10 years ago and now people who were early uptake on these are having to renew theirs.

 

[Jacksond]

My recently expired US passport has two neat round holes punched through the front cover and machine readable part. Sadly only a few stamps in it however. I'll have to get busy. Contemplating a trip to France in Sept/Oct which might help start off the new one.

 

[andy2015]

Just said goodbye to my M* passport as well. Chip has been broken for a couple of years now so the gates wouldn't work and I'd have to get a secondary look every time. Bad hair day on the new photo though .

 

[RooFlyer]

Friend of mine got a new PE passport earlier this year. Then tried to join LATAM FF scheme which (oddly) asked for passport number. PE number didn't fit. I told him just to leave the last number off and it seemed happy with that and it didn't cause any grief when we later flew to Sth America and back.

Interesting though that some places have a set # characters for passport numbers ... but then LATAM is a bit 'different'.

 

[Lord_Lenny]

Yep, said goodbye to mine last month too - wasn't expiring until October but I have some work travel potentially coming up in June, so thought it best to be prepared and not risk the 6mth validity thing.

Very few stamps sadly: 1 US, 2 Indonesian, 3 Malaysian. I've only just started travelling overseas for work, most of our leisure travel has been to Europe, and I have a UK passport so no stamps for me!!

Very happy to see the back of that passport photo though...it was not a pleasant sight!!

 

[peakhour]

139 stamps/visas in my full Nxx_xx_x that I renewed yesterday after 4.5 years.

I'll miss the easy to remember number for sure when filling out departure amd arrival cards!

 

[Hvr]

<snip>. Bad hair day on the new photo though .

Be thankful you still have hair.