Washing a passport in a washing machine is one of the most common causes of damage to such a document. Most people in this situation become nervous and angry with themselves. But do not wind up and blame yourself, because everyone can find themselves in a similar situation. What should I do if I washed my passport in the washing machine? First you need to calm down and objectively assess the damage that has been done to such an important document. It is quite possible that the passport will be restored.
What to do right away
If you accidentally washed your passport, then first you need to objectively assess the entire scale of the damage. The condition of an important document after being in a soapy solution will depend entirely on such factors:
- The washing mode that was set on the typewriter. The longer the document has been in the water and the higher its temperature, the greater the extent of damage.
- Detergent aggressiveness. The more active substances in the powder - bleaches, phosphates and other additives, the more the letters and stamps float.
- The type of clothing in which the passport is in the pocket. When washing a document in a pocket of thick fabric, there is less chance of its final damage.
In the event that the passport has been washed, it must be carefully removed from the clothes or bag in the pockets of which it was washed, and then assess how badly the document has deteriorated. To do this, carefully flip through all the pages of the passport and see if the signatures and stamps have spread. If everything is visible and only the color has changed a little, then such a document can be used further, the main thing is to dry it properly.
A wet passport must be handled with extreme care, as wet paper tears very easily.
How to properly dry a document
If you accidentally washed your passport, then after a visual assessment of the condition, you need to dry it thoroughly. Passport drying should be carried out according to the following algorithm:
- The pages of the document are carefully separated and sheets of white paper are laid between them. It is worth paying close attention to the fact that the paper for the interlayer must be absolutely white, otherwise the ink or paint will be printed on the wet pages of the ID card.
- After all the pages are interleaved with paper, the passport is left to dry in a well-ventilated place, but as far as possible from heating devices. If you place it on the battery, then yellow stains will appear on the leaves and the document will be completely damaged.
In order to quickly and efficiently dry your passport after accidental washing, the white sheets of paper with which the pages are lined must be replaced every half hour. Due to this, moisture will be absorbed faster and there will be less chance that the paint will float.
After the identity card is completely dry, it must be placed on a flat surface and pressed down with something heavy on top. AT several thick books can be used as weight.
What Not to Do
It is strictly forbidden to dry the passport on the battery. In this case, the ID card pages become wavy and yellowish. It is almost impossible to restore an important document in this situation. The passport must be dried exclusively at room temperature and in a well-ventilated area.
Can a corrupted document be used?
There are no regulatory documents that would accurately determine the level of suitability of an important document. The legislation states that the damaged document must be replaced, however, the personal certificate does not lose its functions and is considered valid. But still, whatever one may say, a passport that is too damaged by moisture will have to be exchanged. It is possible to determine how usable a document is only by the state of its appearance.
You can not rush to replace the identity card in the event that the series, number and all important information remains visible. In the event that, when processing some documents in state institutions, they are advised to change the document, we can safely say that this is included in the nearest plans.
Particular attention should be paid to stamps and signatures, if they are blurred and no longer clearly visible, then this is a signal for the exchange of the document.
Is it necessary to change a damaged document?
Is it worth it to immediately change a slightly damaged passport or is it better to wait, this issue needs to be decided by the owner. In the event that soon the identity card will have to be replaced on a scheduled basis, then you can use the washed passport for some time.However, if no replacement is planned due to the change of surname, then it is better to immediately contact the passport office.
To get a new passport, you will need to bring a damaged copy, write an application and go to the bank to pay the state fee. We must not forget that you will need several photographs. To exchange a document that was damaged due to the fault of the owner, you must pay a fine, which, however, is quite symbolic.
In the event that a passport is accidentally washed, it should be replaced immediately. Such an identity card is considered unusable, even when all the inscriptions and stamps are preserved.Thanks to the timely exchange, you can save your nerves when passing through passport control.
There is no need to be too nervous if the ID card suddenly turned out to be laundered. If the passport failed to return to its original appearance on its own, then you need to take a picture and go to the passport office at the place of registration.
