PASSPORT PANDEMIC
We really don’t want you to be our fourth client who forgets to update your passport and is forced to experience a logistical nightmare. Fortunately, we have a simple solution. Send us a picture of each family members passport and we will notify you when your passport is about to expire. Passports for children under age 16 are only valid for 5 years. One client had to cancel their trip and another re-booked, but had to pay $1800 to expedite the new passport. No, this is not covered by travel insurance. We booked four people for Italy this summer and when it came time to collect passports and book flights, 2 of the 4 had passports that had expired 18 months prior and another was unaware of the 6 month rule.
The 6-month passport rule states that your passport must be valid for another six months before you depart for international travel. Aside from the six-month or three-month passport requirement, some countries require other validity periods. Bermuda has a validity period of 45 days upon entry and you can enter Paraguay as long as your passport is valid, no matter the validity period. These are fun nuggets, but the fact remains that this is risk that is not being monitored unless you send us that photo for each member of the family.
Nerd out on passports: 3 factoids
(A) Only 38% of Americans have a passport
(B) Question: Who had to update their passport more – the Jackson Five or the Kardashians? I’m not sure, but if you undergo multiple facial surgeries you will probably have to get a new passport. That means you too, Mike Tyson – facial ink = new passport.
(C) Visiting Israel can preclude you from visiting other nations in the Middle East, including Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. However, you can still see Petra and the Great Pyramids.
