If you’ve got an international trip coming up, no doubt you’re thinking about how to plan your travel, and that involves making sure your passport is in order.
Even if your passport is not expired, some conditions could render it invalid.
In this article, I’m going to show you how an otherwise good passport could be invalid — and what you need to do to prevent this problem.
Your Passport May Not Be Expired, But It Could Still Be Invalid
First, let’s go over a scenario I hope you’re not facing right now.
You’ve booked your trip to another country, but your passport is set to expire before you’re scheduled to return to the United States or even several weeks after you’re scheduled to return. If that’s the case, you may not be permitted to fly out of the U.S.
So here’s the question you need to ask yourself based on your planned date of travel.
Do I Have at Least 6 Months Left on My Passport?
“Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip,” it says on the U.S. Department of State website. “Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.”
Additionally, some countries require that you have at least six months of passport validity upon entry. The exact number of months you need on your passport depends on your destination.
Do This Before You Book Your Travel
Before you pick a travel destination abroad, research the specific passport rules of that country.
What happens if you have, say, three months before your passport expires and you have a trip coming up soon to a destination that requires at least six months of validity? You will need to expedite that renewal.
According to the U.S. State Department, the normal processing time for renewing a passport is 8-11 weeks, and even an expedited passport renewal will take 5-7 weeks.
How Much Does It Cost To Expedite My Passport?
To get your passport book renewed, it generally costs $130, but it could surpass $200 when you add processing fees for rush jobs.
Here is the State Department’s passport renewal fee schedule as of February 2022.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Adult Passport Book | $130 |
| Adult Passport Card | $30 |
| Expedite Passport Fee | $60 |
| 1-2 Day Delivery | $18.32 |
Use the State Department’s passport fee calculator to see how much it will cost in your case.
Bottom Line
Traveling is supposed to be a time to recharge and have fun. The last thing you need is to have it soured by passport red tape. So before you travel internationally, always remember to:
- Check your passport expiration date.
- Check the specific passport rules for the country or countries you plan to visit.
Is your passport nearing expiration? If you’re planning on traveling to a foreign land within the next 12 months, renew your passport well ahead of your trip, even if it still has a few months left on it.
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