The 3 and 6 Month Passport Rules

Planning on going out of the country? Have you checked your passport expiration date? If it is due to expire within six months of your arrival in some countries you may be turning around and heading home before your holiday begins.

I did not realize until recently that there is a rule in many countries that you cannot enter if your passport is due to expire within six months of your entry into the country. Some countries are more lenient and make it three months. We have always allotted plenty of time for passport renewal but that has always been for our peace of mind. Now we will be checking to be sure our passports have plenty of lead time on them.

To find out what the requirements of each country are you can go to the US Department of State's travel site. Generally European countries require a passport that does not expire within three months and many Asian countries extend that to six months. South American countries vary. It's always a good idea to check each country you will visit. You may also need a visa which takes some time. Words for the wise: Plan ahead.