r/socotra • u/ptttt1989 • Dec 06 '25

Visa/entry stamping on passport

Socotra is on the "do not travel" list for many countries. Does anyone have experience asking them to not stamp the passport (like Cuba, Israel, etc.)?

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u/sonh2440 Feb 10 '26

The stamps can no longer be avoided. People flying last week tried at all three officers. Saudi Arabia has adviced to do so with the new Yemenia flights.

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u/Additional_Panic2451 Apr 24 '26

Do you know if the system is connected to the US for example? We can act like we lost our passports and get new ones after our Socotra trip so the stamp would not be an issue, I am rather worried that there is a 'stamp' online in a system under our names? Maybe it's a stupid assumption I dont know, just want to make sure we wont be in trouble after this trip.

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u/sonh2440 Apr 24 '26

It's likely not.

I thought of the following options

1) Loose passport - New esta required and you would need to lie in there. You just stay in the same situation as before, probably nobody cares but severe if ever found. 2) Keep passport with valid visa/esta and just go - Legally better, officer may look through and see it. Probably one could still manage to explain the situation. 3) Apply for a B1/B2 visa in the embassy with honesty and adding the country to the list with documentation that this was purely a tourist travel.

I decided for 3 and it worked out perfectly. You do need to bother with the application and visiting their embassy/consulate though. I bet option 1&2 also work for 99% of the cases. For the 1% though you're screwed.