passport question

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My passport is valid until January 28, 2012. I am planning a trip to South America for November 19-Dec 3 of this year. Someone told me that the airlines want the passport valid for six months past the start of the trip. Seems unnecessary to me. Anybody know for sure?</p>

2

<p>Our travel agent told us the same thing…valid for six months past the date of the trip. Ours were so we didn’t look into it in more detail.</p>

3

<p>You’re best off calling the particular airline and asking them this question but even better, renew your passport before the trip.</p>

4

<p>How long does it take?</p>

5

<p>Get your passport renewed now. What you have been told is correct – needs to be valid for six months past the date of the trip. I’m not sure why – but thems the rules as I have heard/seen them.</p>

6

<p>It’s not the airlines who care, it’s the countries where you are traveling that have those preferences. You do not need 6 months on your passport to re-enter the USA as a US citizen, but certain countries require that you have x amount of time left on your passport so that your passport doesn’t expire and strand you there in their country. It’s not true that there is a universal requirement of 6 months for every country.</p>

<p>You can usually find this out pretty easily by going to an official web site of the host country to find out entry requirements.</p>

<p>This web site is a good start as it gives info. on various countries as it pertains to US citizens:</p>

<p><a href=“404 - Page Not Found”>404 - Page Not Found;

7

<p>I’ve heard that also but I’m not sure it’s the airlines but more immigration in the country you are visiting. </p>

<p>You don’t mention which country you are visiting but here’s a post about Brazil:</p>

<p>[How</a> strict is the 6 months passport validity policy for Brazil? | South America Forum | Fodor’s Travel Talk Forums](<a href=“http://www.fodors.com/community/south-america/how-strict-is-the-6-months-passport-validity-policy-for-brazil.cfm]How”>How strict is the 6 months passport validity policy for Brazil? - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums)</p>

<p>Go to the immigration and customs page of the country you are visiting.</p>

<p>And here’s the list for people coming into the US:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/clp/bulletins/clp_bullentin_04162008.ctt/clp_bulletin_04162008.pdf[/url]”>http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/clp/bulletins/clp_bullentin_04162008.ctt/clp_bulletin_04162008.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>Wow. Renewing a passport now costs $110? That’s gone way up since the last time.</p>

9

<p>It’s now an expensive proposition.
Our family ( three of us at least) just applied for passports…total cost $405!</p>

<p>$330 to Dept of State and $75 to USPS for 'processing fee.
And we had to go to three different places to find a working passport camera for the photos.</p>

<p>thankfully, the fourth in our family had already obtained his passport 2 years ago…</p>

10

<p>Don’t forget you will need visa to go to some of those countries. Brazil is the worst, shots and all. Argentina charges Americans special fee for entrance, I think it’s 70, free to others.</p>

11

<p>Chile also charges Americans.</p>

12

<p>

And some countries charge you to leave their country (exit tax - paid at the airport at that country prior to getting on the flight).</p>

13

<p>Yes Costa Rica has an exit fee- which we found out after D lost her bank card.</p>

14

<p>

Yup. but you can apply a visa after you have arrived. Once it is issued, it will not expire until your current passport expires.</p>

<p>Please be very careful reading the followings:</p>

<p>THE US PASSPORT OFFICE IS BACKED UP IN THEIR PAPERWORKS, APPLY PASSPORT RENEW AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AHEAD OF THE INTENT TRAVELING DATE, if you are only paying $110/each. It will cost a LOT more if you have a rush order and they might not be enough time anyway.</p>

15

<p>My daughter got a first time passport this summer. It only took 2 weeks with expedited service, which cost an additional $60 I believe.</p>

16

<p>It doesn’t look like it’s taking anywhere close to 6 months for processing. The following is from the passport website - </p>

<p>Routine Service:
As of ( Saturday September 3, 2011 ), we are processing routine applications in approximately 4-6 weeks from the time of application.</p>

<p>Expedited Service:
As of ( Saturday September 3, 2011 ), we are processing requests for expedited service in about 2-3 weeks door-to-door, when overnight delivery is requested and paid for both ways (to and from the passport agency).</p>

<p>[Processing</a> Times](<a href=“U.S. Passports”>U.S. Passports)</p>

17

<p>FYI- we took our passport photos in the kitchen against a white wall- printed them out on the home printer–cut them to size. Cost= free. No need to go to a passport photo place.</p>

18

<p>Just got mine in about two weeks; I had to apply in person, because my last one was about 20 yrs old. Applied 8/22 and got it 9/2! H renewed by online/by mail 2 weeks ago and hasn’t gotten it yet.</p>

19

<p>ilovedcollege:</p>

<p>We did the same thing with taking the pics at home - it worked fine.</p>

20

<p>If you have a Costco in your area you can also get your passport photos taken there if you don’t want to do your own. Very inexpensive and they make two. I believe the cost is $6.00 per person.</p>