How long does your passport need to be valid to travel?
Depending on the destination, the minimum validity can vary. Find out in this article everything you need to know about your passport to travel with peace of mind.
And if you are going to travel, don't forget to get your travel assistance easily and personalized.
Passport Expiry Date: What is Required?
Many countries require that the passport be valid for at least six months from the day of your planned return trip. In other words, your passport must be valid for more than six months during your entire stay in the country.
This requirement is often established by countries that also require visas. It is understood that they do this to allow people to apply for a visa extension and stay in the country for a few more months.
In other cases, it is sufficient for the passport to be valid for more than six months from the day of your departure, as long as you plan to return to your home country before the passport expires.
If the document has a shorter validity, it will depend on the destination whether the traveler is exempt or needs to renew the passport. For example, to travel to the United States, it is sufficient to have a valid passport for the duration of the stay and the U.S. visa or ESTA document.
Which Countries Require 6 Months Validity for Passports?
Here are some countries that require a passport valid for at least six months. As always, this requirement may vary depending on the passport you have, so we recommend checking the website of the Ministry of the Interior of each country:
- Algeria
- Australia
- Brazil
- Cambodia
- China
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Schengen Area
- Egypt
- India
- Israel
- Maldives
- Dominican Republic
- Russia
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Which Countries Require Less Than 6 Months Validity for Passports?
For travel to some countries, it is not necessary to meet the 6-month validity requirement but a shorter period is required. For example:
- Morocco: minimum 3 months before expiration.
- Tunisia: 3 months before expiration.
- Japan: it is sufficient to have a valid passport for the duration of the stay in the country.
- United States: it is sufficient to have a valid passport for the duration of the stay in the country.
- Jamaica: same as Japan and the United States.
What Should I Do If My Passport Has Less Than 6 Months Validity?
This will depend on the country you are planning to travel to. If you want to travel to a country that requires a six-month validity, you will need to renew it.
There are exceptional cases where if it is an urgent trip and has a justification, an emergency passport can be obtained, and many countries offer the possibility of doing it express within 48 to 96 business hours
.
Some countries also have the option to do it at the airport. For example, in Argentina, you can process it instantly with an additional cost at authorized airports within an estimated period of 2 to 6 hours, depending on the time it takes for external agencies to complete the checks.
What Should I Do If My Passport Expires While Abroad?
A citizen can return to their home country with an expired passport because they have the right to enter the country simply by proving their nationality. The foreign authorities where they are coming from must authorize them to travel with the expired passport if their final destination is their country of nationality.
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