Observation Pages on Passport
just wanted to inquire that can Visas be stamped on the Observation Pages of the Passport? I called my Embassy for renewal of Passport, however, the Passport Officer commented that you still have Observation Pages left. This was pretty strange to me as i never heard that Visas can be stamped on the Observation Pages. Does anyone has this experience?
Best Answer
The standard for Passport documents is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is a part of the United Nations.
The "Observations" page you are referring to, whilst standard (in some form or another) across most countries passport books, is actually NOT a part of the standard requirements for a passport, and as a result there is no standard answer as to whether it can be used for Visas/stamps or not.
As there is no standard for this page, it's location and text on the page will vary between countries.
Many countries do place wording on this page that it can not be used for visas/stamps. Other countries place the observation page well before the "visa" pages in the passport, strongly implying that it is not to be used for visas. (eg, my Australian passport has 3 pages of "Information Information" text between the observations page and the visa pages.
For some other countries, the Observations page does not meet the requirements dictated by ICAO for a "visa" page (which includes things such as the background of each page containing a different image).
As a result of these points, you will almost certainly find that many (probably most) countries will be unwilling to place a visa or stamp on the "Observations" page - even if the page itself doesn't state it can't be done. This is especially true for a full-page visa sticker where the sticker would cover the "Observations" heading and any other text on the page.
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What is bio page and observation page in passport?
The bio-date page of a passport is the page with your biographical data (name, date of birth, passport number, expiration date, etc...). Most passports will also show your picture on this page, along with the machine readable zone at the bottom.What are the pages for in a passport?
Passports must have enough blank pages to accommodate entry and exit immigration stamps for each country of travel. At least one visa page in your passport is required for each visa. Most travel visas that are stamped into your passport require an entire blank visa page.What are the 10 pieces of information on a passport?
Passports are small booklets that typically contain the bearer's name, place of birth, date of birth, the date of issue, date of expiry, passport number, photo and signature.Do you have a completed observation page in your passport ie one that reflects a change from the information on your passport biographical page )?
No. The Observations page is for authorised immigration officials to make notes (observations) that may be useful for other immigration officials to know later. Things which would influence entry decisions and which should be seen quickly without flipping through and checking entry/exit dates on every page.Must Know Facts About Your Passport... BEFORE YOU TRAVEL!
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