Embassies of the United States, including the US Embassy in Beijing will discontinue adding pages to American passports as of December 31, 2015, with holders required to apply for new documents after that point, the US Embassy informed the Beijinger by email.

"For cost and security reasons, the U.S. Department of State has begun phasing out the option of additional visa pages for US passports. Beginning October 1, 2014, all Embassies/Consulates worldwide will issue only 52-page passport books for full-validity passports. The thinner 28-page book option is no longer available. Requests for additional visa pages will be accepted for existing passports only through December 31, 2015. Starting January 1, 2016, applicants who need extra pages will need to apply to renew their passports and be issued the standard 52-page book," the US Embassy posted.

For US passport holders, this sucks. Whereas adding pages to an existing passport is currently a 20-minute errand at the US Citizen Services offices, it’s now about to become the same hassle that citizens of other countries including the UK must accept. Fifty-two pages provides quite a bit of room for entry and exit stamps and visas, but for frequent travelers, it means applying for a new passport much sooner than the 10-year validity permits.

Travelers, especially Beijing-based, frequent, international travelers will now have to plan for their annual 10 business-day visa renewal, plus the occasional passport renewal. Holders of a 10-year China visa may find themselves not one, but two passports beyond the original that holds the visa itself. Don’t forget to take off your belt and shoes.

A version of this article appeared on theBeijinger.com on September 3, 2015.

This article is first appeared on theBeijinger.com on December 2, 2015.

AmCham China’s Star-Spangled BBQ
Celebrate the 239th year of American independence with family and friends with an afternoon of barbecues, beer, kids activities, and live performances. Advance tickets only and have to be bought online. RMB 400 ( AmCham members rate applies to spouses, partners and company employees), RMB 550; Kids under 12 (Non Members): RMB 200, family package A: RMB 950 (Two adults with one kid); family package B: RMB 1, 100 ( Two adults with two kids).  Noon-4pm. Kerry Hotel Beijing (July4@amchamchina.org)

4th of July Hutong BBQ, DVD, and Book Swap
Head on over to Slow Boat Brewery Taproom on Dongsi Batiao where they will be serving a special menu of classic American barbecue, including hot dogs, burgers, corn, and potato salad. Come by between 2-7pm with your unwanted books and DVDs and swap them for new ones. Free. 2pm-midnight. Slow Boat Brewery Taproom

Happy Birthday USA!
All American citizens who visit The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu on July 4 will receive a free beer. (One per adult guest with American passport, no purchase necessary). Free. 11am-9pm. The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu

Beijing Bikini Cookout
Head down to Jing-A Brewing, where their neighbors Traitor Zhou’s will be grilling an all-American cookout menu to enjoy with a pint of their new summer brew. For those who show up extra hungry, they’ll be holding a Watermelon Eating Challenge throughout the day with great prizes of beer, merchandise, donuts, and more. Free. 11am-5pm. Jing-A Brewing

For four more moms and dads only options are available, kindly check the list here.

This post has been modified from thebeijinger.com that appeared on June 29, 2015