Accused of tampering passport? :S :S :(

Eman_321

Hi,
so last week I went to renew my gnib with my brother. I was late but my brother got a ticket so we went together..but they said it was one ticket per person.
Anyways, this dude opens the passport and he is like someone tampered with it, funnily enough my brother was told the same thing at his university... something about the way a number is written.
I decided to give the immigration officer mine to prove that the year on the passport was valid and wasn't tampered with.
The dude mutters to him "this is from a different source.." and walks away.
15mins later a guy comes, calls me over and says he is the Gardai and that he will be seizing my passport as well as my brother's because both had been tampered with. To be honest I didn't expect such a thing, when I renewed my passport I believe it was 2008/09 I can't remember, because it was my mum that did it...
I never go out, travel or even look at my passport unless it is to pay fees or renew the gnib card...so for the Garda to say it was tampered with is so damn confusing. I have no idea what to do...I have waited a week, rather impatiently and anxiously. Should I go back to the immigration and demand what's happening? My gnib is a week expired, should've been renewed by now...I didn't have this problem last year when I renewed my card, why now? I've been googling to see if others had similar problems, but the others were irrelevant, hence me posting here...
Any advice? Should I go to immigration tomorrow or next week or should I call my own embassy?
I wish I had a look at the passport to see if the date was stamped as well as written or even had a print copy, grr so frustrating. Thanks

BrianD

Do the GNIB have the skills to determine if a passport has been tampered with using a visual inspection?

I'd go back to the immigration office and contact your embassy. Did they give you a receipt for it?

slimjimmc

The thread title implies your were accused of tampering but nothing in your post indicate that allegation was made against you, all you say is that both officials believed the passports have been tampered by someone.
You could enquire as to what's happening but do it nicely and certainly do not make demands, the Gardaí have full authority to seize and investigate passports if they suspect them to be invalid. I guess it's going to take time because the issuing passport office in your home country will have to verify the passports validity, it's an official document of your country and they will need to do their own checking.

Eman_321

@BrianD yeah they gave us receipts but as slimj said they have the right I guess no. I don't really like law so never read it..I guess I have up on rights and stuff

@Slimj You're right I should probably change it, I understand what you mean..I will go and see what the story is. I just hope it was simple human error. I kind of need the passport visa ready before November at least.
Sigh what a pain...so troublesome