Problem: Most visas occupy a whole Passport page and can't be pasted in on top of stamps or other visas. Some countries even like to have the facing page blank, too — I have seven such double-page spreads left. But 21 into 19 doesn't go. Getting a new Passport on the road would be a hassle I'm not keen to undertake. Better to replace it before I leave — unless ...
Do I really need a new Passport? Oddly enough, the answer is "probably not".
Of those 21 countries, I can enter five (Turkey, Georgia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore) without a visa. That reduces the minimum number of blank pages required to 16, so all being well I have more than enough pages.
However, it's not that simple. Dumb border guards may waste some of my blank pages by stamping them instead of using a page that already has stamps. I know this happens - it's how I got in this pickle in the first place. Some of my Passport pages have a single pesky stamp plastered on them, ruining that page for visas. Also, I want to visit Mongolia, Hong Kong and Macau. Unless I can get a multiple-entry visa for China I'll need additional Chinese visas to get back into China from these places. So let's lay in some contingencies.
Some countries count as "required" because they lie squarely across my path. Trying to avoid them would only mean going through another country which would also require a visa. If I can get so far, I can fly home quite cheaply from any of Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Not counting the countries that don't require visas, the countries I must pass through to get back to Australia from Turkey are: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China (up to 3 visas), Vietnam, Cambodia.
Other countries, while not technically required, are places that are central to this trip. These are: Armenia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos.
Finally there are countries I'd like to visit but can skip if need be: Afghanistan, Mongolia, (Hong Kong), (Macau), Myanmar, Indonesia and East Timor. Skipping Mongolia may save one Chinese visa. Skipping Hong Kong and Macau may save another. (I can travel directly from Hong Kong to Macau by sea and enter either without a visa, so I don't need a Chinese visa to go from one to the other.)
Thus I face getting five necessary visas, six must-see visas, and five to seven like-to-see visas. Fortunately most of the optional countries are at the end.
Strategy:
Edited to add: page numbers here are adjusted as new info comes to light. Such as the fact that the GBAO Permit in Tajikistan is apparently another whole-page sticker in my Passport, not a separate piece of paper.
Let's work backwards.
Exiting China my full itinerary requires visas for Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, and East Timor. I will already have my Vietnamese visa, so what else I can do depends on how many free pages I have left. Since Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore don't require visas I can visit them no matter what. Of these countries I can most easily skip Myanmar and East Timor. It is still possible for a stray stamp to waste a page at any given border, in which case I drop an optional country.
My options as I cross the China/Vietnam border look like this:
- 5 pages - full itinerary (I can drop Myanmar and/or East Timor later if I lose a page, and if I get a Cambodian e-Visa I will make up a page);
- 4 pages - drop Myanmar;
- 3 pages - drop East Timor;
- 2 pages - drop Indonesia;
- 1 page - drop Laos;
- 0 pages - Vietnam, then fly to Bangkok from Ho Chi Minh City.
Multiple entry Chinese visa:
- 7 or more pages - Mongolia, (Hong Kong), (Macau), five-page scenario;
- 6 pages - drop Mongolia;
- 5 or fewer pages - drop Mongolia, choose a smaller scenario.
- 8 or more pages - Mongolia, (Hong Kong), (Macau), five-page scenario;
- 7 pages - drop Mongolia;
- 6 or fewer pages - drop Mongolia, choose a smaller scenario.
- 9 or more pages - Mongolia, (Hong Kong), (Macau), five-page scenario;
- 8 pages - drop Mongolia;
- 7 or fewer pages - drop Mongolia, choose a smaller scenario.
My options when I arrive in Almaty (Kazakhstan) boil down to:
- 16 pages or more - full itinerary, perhaps dropping Afghanistan if it looks dicey;
- 15 pages - drop Afghanistan;
- 14 pages - drop Turkmenistan;
- 13 pages - drop Tajikistan;
- 12 pages - drop Uzbekistan;
- 11 pages - drop Kyrgyzstan (direct to China from Kazakhstan);
- 10 pages or less - choose smaller chinese itinerary.
Taking into account where I plan to buy my visas, then, if I hope to complete my whole itinerary I need to arrive in Baku (Azerbaijan) with at least 17 free pages in my Passport. At least two of my nineteen pages will already have been used (Armenia and Azerbaijan) leaving a maximum of 17 free. You don't get any closer to the line than that. (But — see e-visas below.)
Very tight. But possible.
Desperate measures
I can also try the loaves-and-fishes gambit, multiplying the number of free pages or reducing the number of pages used.
Can I remove an existing visa? Most of the visas already in my Passport have rubber stamps ovelapping their edges, so their removal would be obvious; but the Chinese and Russian visas from my last trip do not. However, the crumbling yellow gum used to afix them has stained the paper beneath them. So no, I can't reasonably hope to "free up" any pages that way as the marks would be too glaring. Forget it.
Armenia offers a 90-day "e-visa" at double the price of their border visa. This is apparently a separate sheet of paper that gets stapled into the Passport. Once I'm finished with Armenia the e-visa could be encouraged to "fall out", freeing up a page as long as there are no rubber stamps beneath it. Score than as a "possible", saving one page. Best to leave the e-visa in place till I do need the free page, however. It will protect that page against stray stamps.
In an emergency I might be able to talk a border guard into putting a visa on the empty "Observations" page or even the inside back cover, but it's better not to rely on that unless all else fails. However, one of my previous Passports (which had free Visa pages) does sport a colection of Australian entry and exit stamps on its inside back cover, so it's feasible.
Two pages have stamps only at the very top - most of each page is empty. One even has a mostly empty facing page. two other pages have stamps only at the top, though they have less free space and either an empty facing page visa or one with no space. Some border visas are smaller than a page. Typically the rest of the page gets filled up with the entry and exit stamps but it would be feasible for a co-operative border guard to put a small visa on one page and the entry stamp on the page facing it. Another "possible", saving one or even two pages.
Oh, this is going to be an adventure!
Edited to add:
e-Visa information
Since I'm researching e-Visas to save on Passport pages I thought I might as well stash my research results here for later reference.
Armenia e-Visa: Armenia Foreign Ministry - page includes a link to a FAQ. Contact eVisa.
- Up to 120 days, Single entry only, US$60, valid for 180 days from date of issue (duration of stay is included in validity);
- Requirements: Passport valid more than six months (at time of application?)
- Visa is electronic. Border guards verify electronically. Paper copy not required?
- Two days required for approval; upon application, receive confirming email with reference no. When approved, see online graphical representation that can be printed (for own reference).
- Valid for entry via Zvartnots international Airport, Gyumri Airport, Ayrum railway station, Bagratashen, Bavra, Gogavan and Megri land borders.
- 30 days, Single entry only, US$20 + $5 processing charge, valid for 3 months from date of issue (receive full 30 days even if enter on last day of validity);
- Requirements: Passport valid more than six months at time of entry, a recent passport-size photo in digital format (JPEG or PNG format), a valid credit card (Visa/MasterCard/American Express/Discover).
- Visa is a sheet of paper stapled into the Passport. Two copies (B&W OK) required - one is used for entry, the other for exit.
- Three days required for approval; upon approval receive email with link to download e-Visa.
- Valid for exit in all places listed below. For entry:
Yes: Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport, Cham Yeam (Koh Kong) [Thailand], Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchey) [Thailand], Bavet (Svay Rieng) [Vietnam].
NO: Chorm (Oddar Meanchey) Thailand, Daung (Kamrieng-Battambang) [Thailand], Prom (Pailin) [Thailand], O Smach (Oddar Meanchey) [Thailand], Kaoam Samnor (Kandal-Mekong) [Vietnam], Phnom Den (Takeo) [Vietnam], Trapaing Sre (Kratie) [Vietnam], Dong Kralo (Stung Treng) [Laos], Sihanoukville. - Bavet is the nearest border crossing from HCMC, on the most direct line to PP. Dong Kralo is the only open border crossing between Cambodia and Laos, or I can go via O Smach into Thailand and from there loop around to enter Laos at Savannakhet.
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