Russian travel union finds no evidence of deliberate passport damage in Thailand

The Russian Union of Travel Industry said on October 16 it had no grounds to conclude that Thai immigration officers were deliberately damaging Russian passports. Its statement followed reports of tourists complaining about damage to their documents.

Visantium visa agency head Yegor Kail, quoted by the union, said careless actions by an individual officer did not by themselves establish a widespread practice or a specific instruction targeting Russians.

Kail said a small staple hole did not automatically invalidate a passport. Relevant considerations include damage to security features, the photograph, the machine-readable zone and the legibility of personal details.

If paper has been attached to a passport, he advised asking the officer to remove it carefully rather than tearing out a staple or sticker.

For noticeable damage, the union recommended contacting a senior immigration officer, documenting the circumstances and photographing the passport. A Russian consulate can clarify whether the document remains usable and, if it is deemed unsuitable, explain the process for obtaining a document to return to Russia.