International trips are amazing experiences but planning for them can be a bit tricky. You have to pick a location, hotel, flights and then calculate the costs involved and what to do. Usually the first thing you do is check to see if a passport is required or if your passport is valid. Most people just look at the expiration date and if it’s valid think your good to go. That may not always be the case.
Most people are unaware that many countries have requirements/rules for entry in place between them for incoming travelers. Some of these countries have a validity requirement in place. This validity rule requires your passport to be valid for a period of time. It may seem like it’s no big deal but that would be a huge mistake. You see, if there is a validity requirement in place it isn’t just the job of the customs agent to find it but it is also the responsibility of the airline to catch it as well. Most airlines get fined when they allow someone to travel with a passport whose validity does not meet the criteria. This fine is a lot more than your average ticket. For this reason, the airline would rather you miss your trip than get the fine. If that happens you will not even be allowed to board the plane. This can have dramatic consequences if you are traveling with friends or families.
When planning your trip please keep this in mind. You can check on a countries validity by visiting the state departments website which will tell you if your planned country enforces a validity restriction. It can be 6 months or 3 months or just needs to be valid by the time you return. Either way, the airlines expect you to know this and be prepared or they will deny you entry on the flight. If you’ve already booked your flight and leaving soon we can help you. Visit us at http://www.passportsvisasandmore.com or call us at 305-330-4430 in Miami or 407-459-8807 if your in Orlando.
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