Rosina Visomi, 27, a British national, had trouble with her passport as she was returning from Koh Pha-ngan, Thailand, where she had been staying since April after completing a yoga certification in India. She had no idea that a small tear in her passport could cause so many problems.
During her time in Southeast Asia, Visomi used her stopover in Southeast Asia to explore her passions and volunteer. When she decided to return to Norfolk in early July, she took a long route through Bangkok, India and Türkiye before arriving in London.
A 1cm torn passport caused trouble for a British tourist.
However, on July 4, at the Thai capital's airport, IndiGo Airlines staff refused to let her board the plane after discovering a 1cm tear on the photo page of her passport. They said India would not allow her to enter and advised her to book a direct flight from Bangkok to London.
Visomi had previously used the torn passport on flights to the US, Jamaica and Thailand without any problems. However, the incident caused her to miss her flight and spend about $470 on her ticket. Additionally, Thai authorities informed her that her visa had expired, even though she had renewed it just days earlier.
She said Thai immigration authorities also warned her that she could be fined £320 (about $410) for overstaying her visa.
Female tourist from England burst into tears due to a series of troubles.
Visomi contacted Thai immigration and the British Embassy in Thailand to seek assistance, but the process cost her hundreds of pounds more. She admits she is now broke, unemployed and did not count on the expense.
Visomi's sister started a fundraising campaign to help cover her travel expenses. With this help, Visomi was finally able to fly home from Thailand on July 9.
Despite the difficulties she faced, a representative from IndiGo Airlines insisted that they followed proper procedures. They explained that the airline followed the guidelines of the regulatory body and provided the necessary assistance to the customer. Customers are advised to be understanding of these guidelines as they may vary from country to country.
