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We have US passports that expire Feb 1 and Feb 4, 2014. We have a trip booked Nov 22-Dec 7. Are we ok or do we need to renew before the trip. I seem to remember hearing that you have to have a 3 month cushion and we are just short of that. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction to find out.
I just booked flights on Delta and they notified me that a (6) month cushion is required
That's really odd when you think about it,what goods the expiration date if they don't go by it?
I'd renew now.....one less stressor for you!
This is the kind of question that is really better solved by checking with the actual authorities rather than asking for opinions...
http://travel.state.gov/passport/faq/faq_1741.html
Quote:
If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.
Thank you wrtiii. Got my answer. Here it is. 9 montsh seems crazy but will definitely renew before our trip in Nov.
:How long is a passport valid and when should I renew my passport?
a:If you were over age 16 when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for 10 years.
If you were age 15 or younger when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for 5 years.
The Issue Date of your passport can be found on the data page of your Passport Book or on the front of your Passport Card.
If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.
We expire in March of 2014 and are traveling in Dec/Jan of this year. We just renewed. Better safe than sorry. Quick and painless, even though my name changed since the last one.
And...we got our old books back as souveniers!
I was there in February with less than three months left on my passport.No problems what so ever.There is no three or six month requirement.Just has to be valid for the length of your stay.
Stuart, I am glad you had no problems but I have seen with my own eyes people not allowed to board a plane for which they had bought a ticket because their passport would expire in less than six months and also refused entry to Jamaica for the same reason. The fact is you are completely at the whim of the boarding agent or the immigration officials. If you catch one on a bad day, you're screwed.
We just went in March and ours expired in April. No worries!
rather be safe or sorry?
Cool Runnings, Marko
I emailed the Jamaican Consulate last year to ask the same question. They require only that your passport is valid for your return trip. The airlines, however, often have different requirements. We ended up renewing the passport in question early anyway, just to be safe.
In some major airports you can now get the electronic passport that uses your eyes for verification. No lines at customs ?????
I always find interesting in these threads the people who say "I ignored what the authorities said and had no problems, so NO PROBLEM". They apparently are not aware that others might be traveling on a different airline with different rules or might be traveling from a different airport with different rules, or that they might just have gotten lucky.
How about -
"Last week I drove at 80 MPH and didn't get stopped, so NO PROBLEM."
"I was bringing dutiable items into Jamaica and just went through the Nothing To Declare line and didn't get stopped, so NO PROBLEM".
"I was smoking ganj right in front of a police officer and he didn't say anything, so NO PROBLEM".
I'm a "rather be safe than sorry" kind of person so we will renew long before November. Thanks everybody.
This is a great thread - I always thought it expired on the expiration date. Now I have to check mine to see when it does expire - I thought I was safe but maybe not.
Hi Mo and Bob,
Great thread. Never thought of this before. Passports for my mom and me are all set for our trip next weekend. I cannot wait for Wild Parrot Greek salad and cookies. Will miss having you guys to chat and laugh with. Thanks again for passport info.
Bob
Have a great time Bob and enjoy those mangos with Mom. Give Cindy & Richie a hug from Bob and I. If it's not too much trouble have a margarita for me too. We will be back in November.
wrtiii, If you are talking about me, I was simply saying our passports expired a month after our trip and I had no worries. I was not telling other people to do the same.
I believe the 6 month rule is imposed by the airlines, not JA. That being said, there really is not a good reason not to send off your renewal next week. I was going to take my kids to Cabo last August and did not check the expiry on their passports..forgot that kids passports are only good for five years..thankfully I caught it before we tried to leave....but we did have to cancel the trip!