Contrary to popular belief, passports are not magical booklets that effortlessly let you travel the world. First, your passport is the property of the United States government, not yours, so it has to follow the rules laid by the US government to be valid. Some of these rules are surprising, but if not respected, will wreck a trip real quick. Second, the immigration laws of the countries you plan to visit involve specific and unexpected requirements from your passport that have to be met.
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4 Ways Your Passport Can Keep You From Traveling That You Never Knew Of
1. You don’t have enough blank pages
If you’re one of those travelers who enjoy collecting stamps and visas in your passport, watch out. According to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, you need two to four blank visa pages in your passport or you may be denied entry at the border of your destination or even turned down from boarding the plane that will take you there. Of course, it depends on each country’s immigration rules, but why would you want to take a chance? Make sure you send an application to renew your passport when it looks like you’re running out of space for customs to stamp, stick, or staple your visa. If you travel a lot, we suggest that you order a 52-page passport instead of the regular 32-page passport, at no extra charge.
2. Your passport expires in six months or less
It’s simple, if your passport expires in six months or less, you may be denied to travel. It sounds bananas — what’s the use of the expiration date, then? — but it’s very much something you should keep in mind. Horror stories of people being turned away at the check-in counter on the day of their departure are all over the internet.
Passport validity requirements vary by country, so don’t assume that because you’re traveling to Ecuador — where a six-month validity is needed — it will be the same in Spain — where you need a three-month validity beyond your date of departure.
Of course, you can apply for an emergency passport if you’re stuck and absolutely need to go abroad, but we suggest you just make a note in your calendar to replace your passport six months early — it’ll save you a lot of anxiety.
3. Your passport is invalid for one of these small reasons
- If your passport is not signed, it’s not valid. It only takes two seconds, so do it before a fussy border agent gives you some trouble.
- If you’ve drawn/written on your passport. Buy a notebook and get creative, but leave your passport alone and keep it away from your kids and their crayons.
- Make certain you don’t bend it so the chip doesn’t get damaged, and ensure that everything is legible — if your document ever got wet and some entries hard to read, you’re taking a chance to be turned down and/or have your passport taken away. Torn pages and cover are also big no-nos.
- Unauthorized souvenir stamps like the fancy ones you get at Machu Picchu, at the post office in Monte Carlo, or at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin can get your passport declared invalid. Also, unofficial stamps can have you denied entry in some countries; all it takes is a zealous border agent.
4. You didn’t bring your passport to fly domestically.
Boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft for a domestic trip will soon require all American travelers to have an ID that meets the REAL ID Act requirements. If you do not have a REAL ID-compliant form of identification, you only have until May 7, 2025, to get one. We recommend that you apply for a passport so that you can fly both domestically and abroad with only one form of identification. 