Most travelers assume that their passport is fully valid for travel up until the day it expires. That makes sense, right? Unfortunately, that is not the case. Many countries around the world follow what’s known in the travel industry as the “six month rule.” This means that in order to be allowed entry to a destination country, your passport has to be valid for at least another six months. Some countries interpret the six month rule as meaning that your passport must be valid for at least six months past the date of entry, but other countries are more restrictive, and insist that your passport must be valid for six months past your scheduled date of departure.
The six month rule is an international standard, so if your passport will be valid for at least six months past the date you’ll return to the US, you can travel without worry of violating any country’s passport validity rules. If you want to check the precise passport requirements for the country you plan to visit, a good resource is the US State Department’s Country Specific Information. Just type in the name of your destination country, and you’ll be taken to a page of detailed information including entry requirements and health and safety issues. In the “Quick Facts” section near the top, you’ll be able to check the passport validity requirement. You can also check below for the passport validity requirements for some popular destinations.
Even if you’re planning to travel to a country that does not enforce the six month rule, at Passportinfo.com we still strongly recommend that you have at least six months validity left whenever you travel internationally. Your destination may not require a full six months, but airline clerks may still enforce the six month rule and refuse boarding if your passport is close to expiry. It’s also good to always make sure you have at least six months validity remaining in case an unexpected travel opportunity arises.
Take a moment now and check to see when your passport will expire. If you’re getting close to the six month mark, renew your passport now!
Passport validity requirements for popular destinations
- Mexico – Six months validity required
- Canada – Passport must be valid when you enter
- United Kingdom (Great Britain) – Passport must be valid your full duration of stay
- France – Six months validity required. If you’re planning a long stay in Europe, your passport must be valid for at least three months past your scheduled return to the US.
- Italy – Your passport must be valid for at least three months past your scheduled return to the US. A minimum of six months validity is recommended.
- Spain – Your passport must be valid for at least three months past your scheduled return to the US. A minimum of six months validity is recommended.
- Jamaica – Passport must be valid when you enter
- Costa Rica – Passport must be valid your full duration of stay
- Bahamas – Passport must be valid when you enter
- Dominican Republic – Passport must be valid when you enter
