Passport? Oh my!

The newer passports seem thicker and are stiff as planks.

I got a new one last December , I am good to go for the next 10 years.

Yes, what's up with the new passports? Considering that no stamps for separate Schengen countries go in them, they seem a lot thicker (and really stiff). Just when I was lightening everything I pack...

Yes, what's up with the new passports?

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/FAQs.html#ePassport

Since August 2007, the U.S. has been issuing only e-passports. An
electronic passport has a small integrated circuit (or “chip”)
embedded in the back cover and has a new look with additional
anti-fraud and security features.

The chip securely stores:
The same information visually displayed on
the photo page of the passport;
A biometric identifier in the form of
a digital image of the passport photograph, which will facilitate the
use of facial recognition technology at ports-of-entry;
The unique chip identification number; and
A digital signature to protect the
stored data from alteration.

Zoe, they must intend us to try more countries on other continents, now.

Since most countries now use e-passports and no longer give stamps, the State Department has stopped issuing extra page passports.

One of the reason the new passports seem thicker is because the covers now contain RFID blocking.

Renewed mine in November 2008 so I've got another 3.5 years or so. Don't know if it's new enough to have all these cool features that Edgar and Frank II describe.

Still pages for stamps, just not the nice little dividing lines and the cute column headings labeled entries and departures, which all inspectors ignored and stamped wherever they pleased anyway, usually right smack in the middle of the page. I got stamped in and out for my last 2 trips to Schengenland on my new passport.

Don't just check the expiration date...check the (expiration date - 6 months)

One of the reason the new passports seem thicker is because the covers now contain RFID blocking.

That is new information for me. What is your source for that claim?

Frank, the Black Helicopters told me during my abduction. See this FAQ page:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/FAQs.html#ePassport

Tenth item under Electronic Passport, if you dare to click and expand it.

ha ha ha ha - that was pretty funny!

The two Tims think alike.