It is time to check your passports to ensure you know where they are located and your expiration date.
If you do not currently have a passport or you need to renew your passport, check out this link for more information: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html
Be sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your return date of travel, as many countries require this. Important Note: A valid passport might not be enough to allow you to board your flight or cruise ship when traveling internationally. You can check the requirements for the countries you plan to visit at the Department of State’s website - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en.html.
Unless you want to pay extra to have it expedited, you’ll need to get your application in at least 6–8 weeks before you need to use your passport again (based on the State Department’s current estimated processing times), but applying 8–10 weeks in advance will make things less stressful.
If you realize too late that your passport expiration date is approaching, you can make an appointment at a passport agency. You must be traveling within 14 days, and there are only about two dozen agencies in the US, so you may have to travel far to reach one. Don’t risk it; check your passport expiration date and set a calendar reminder to renew it far in advance.
A West Palm Beach woman was shocked recently when Delta Airlines refused to let her board a flight for the first leg of a trip to Italy, even though her passport was not set to expire until 25 days after her scheduled return. Literally at the gate, she learned that her passport had to be valid for three months after she set foot in Italy.
Please Note:
Immigration stamps signify your entry into a country. Novelty stamps are often used for bragging rights, demonstrating that the holder has been to Machu Picchu, or traveled to the end of the Earth to Antarctica. A visit to the city with the longest name, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, in Wales can also procure a stamp. Easter Island in Chile offers the opportunity to get the fun stamp with moai statues at the local post office. But instead of getting your passport out for these, carry an expired passport, travel journal, or stamp book.
Novelty stamps from destinations—however cute—are not official. Some countries may not accept them. You may be asked to explain the alteration to your passport, or you might be banned from flying with the document.
Federal laws have made it clear that a passport will be deemed invalid if it is altered or damaged. “The passport has been materially changed in physical appearance or composition, or contains a damaged, defective or otherwise non-functioning chip, or includes unauthorized changes, obliterations, entries or photographs, or has observable wear or tear that renders it unfit for use as a travel document, and the Department either takes possession of the passport or sends a written notice to the bearer).”
To prevent this from happening, please check your passport now and make sure it is valid for at least six months after your return date.