Passport pages

I renewed a passport in September 2010 through the mailing process established by the Department of State. I received a 10-year passport with a meager 17 pages available for visas or stamps.

I called the National Passport Information Center at 877/487-2778 and was told that I should have made a request for more pages at the time I mailed in form DS-82 along with my old passport and a check.

I pointed out that on the website, www.travel.state.gov, I found nothing about that under “Renew Passport” or on the DS-82 form. The pleasant customer service agent replied that I should have known this anyway. Afterward, on the “Passports” page and under the drop-down box “Change or Correct Passport,” I did locate the information for acquiring additional visa pages.

The cost for me to obtain more pages (24 more), at this point, is $82. There would have been no charge for extra visa pages if I had requested them at the time of renewal.

STEVE JEFFRIES

Centennial, CO

An application for a new or renewed passport can be printed out from the website or picked up at any post office. If you want a passport with more than the standard 24 pages, include a note requesting additional pages. If you want to add visa pages to your existing passport, send in form DS-4085 and pay a fee of $82.