Six month Passport rule

[DandyDon]

I liked travel before we had to have a passport to tour Mexico and the Caribbean, but those days are along gone. Several claims came up in side-talk on the Covid thread, and I am more confused that ever. My passport expires in July 2021. Can I use it for a January or February visit?

It's often said that I need six months left on my PP to travel including to Mexico?

I've heard that PP applications and renewals have been greatly delayed by the pandemic so now it takes several months.

The rule is supposedly reciprocal between countries, and this chart from U.S.Customs & Border Protection says that dozens of countries are exempt, including Mexico: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2017-Dec/Six-Month Club Update122017.pdf

I get the idea that results vary with airline and immigration agent experiences and no one has a clear answer.

One member even claimed that if the PP was active at the time of entry that it was automatically extended six months, but I find that difficult to believe.​

What are the real facts?

 

[gstrek]

On a return trip from the Caribbean (either Coz or Cayman, I don't recall), the US Customs and Immigration agent warned me that I had to get my passport renewed as I was near the 6 month expiration date. That was the first I ever heard of it. I thanked him and now renew my passport at least 6 months before it expires taking into consideration that it may take 6-8 weeks for the renewal to be processed (that was pre-covid). I considered myself to have been warned and plan accordingly. So that 10 year passport is really only good for 9.5 years.

 

[DandyDon]

On a return trip from the Caribbean (either Coz or Cayman, I don't recall), the US Customs and Immigration agent warned me that I had to get my passport renewed as I was near the 6 month expiration date.

The Caymans are not on the Exemption list: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2017-Dec/Six-Month Club Update122017.pdf

 

[flyboy08]

Seems there's plenty of time for you to renew...why take the chance...im sure you can get a renewal before years end.

 

[Bob DBF]

So that 10 year passport is really only good for 9.5 years.

It isn't like you couldn't return to the US without issue until it expires, but you may make a trip to a foreign land and be turned away because they don't want to see a passport that close to experation. The Feds are not like your state DMV, they do not send out a notice for renewal, they can just give a frendly reminder when they see your passport.

 

[yle]

I liked travel before we had to have a passport to tour Mexico and the Caribbean, but those days are along gone. Several claims came up in side-talk on the Covid thread, and I am more confused that ever. My passport expires in July 2021. Can I use it for a January or February visit?

I've heard that PP applications and renewals have been greatly delayed by the pandemic so now it takes several months.
​

What are the real facts?

My son's passport expired last November. At the time I figured I'd have plenty of time to get it renewed before our planned trip this summer (which ended up being cancelled anyway.)

It wasn't until April that I realized there could be delays.

I mailed his passport renewal April 20. A few days later (April 24?) I received confirmation from the state department that they had received it.

His new passport arrived in the mail just a few weeks ago, August 6. So from mailing the renewal to receiving the new passport was 108 days... 3.5 months, or 15.5 weeks.

YMMV, of course.

 

[mediumone]

Things should be getting back to normal

Passport Agencies

 

[wnissen]

The answer to any form of this question is to fill in the details at: IATA - Personalised Passport, Visa & Health travel documentation advice
It handles all the edge cases, such as transiting, various nationalities, etc. It may even be the system that the airline is using to decide whether to allow you boarding! I plugged in a US citizen traveling to Mexico on a passport with 3 months validity and it said I was good to go. Your mileage may vary, but it's a tremendous resource.

 

[gopbroek]

A rule is a rule, I have never seen a Mexican official that concerned about the 6 month rule provided it was still valid but I have seen over zealous gate agents deny boarding over this. In a multi leg trip this would really suck to have it fall through just prior to your last leg. The reasoning is that if you are denied entry at your foreign destination the carrier that brought you is required to return you to your embarkation country. They may try to charge you after the fact but they are on the hook by the denying country to return you. This has been true for a very long time, at Ellis Island when folks did not make the cut they became a liability to the shipping companies that transported them. Contrary to myths, Ellis island was not a immigrant welcome center but a controlled border entry point.

 

[wnissen]

A rule is a rule, I have never seen a Mexican official that concerned about the 6 month rule provided it was still valid but I have seen over zealous gate agents deny boarding over this. In a multi leg trip this would really suck to have it fall through just prior to your last leg. The reasoning is that if you are denied entry at your foreign destination the carrier that brought you is required to return you to your embarkation country. They may try to charge you after the fact but they are on the hook by the denying country to return you. This has been true for a very long time, at Ellis Island when folks did not make the cut they became a liability to the shipping companies that transported them. Contrary to myths, Ellis island was not a immigrant welcome center but a controlled border entry point.

I know what you are saying and it is true that gate staff can really screw things up. Though I would prefer that if they err, I would rather have them deny me wrongly than allow me wrongly. If it's a destination that has no return flights that day, you could end up in jail overnight on top of a fine. But in this case where CBP and also State (Mexico International Travel Information) both say that it only has to be valid, I think you'd almost certainly be successful going up the chain to argue your case. This is not one of the tricky cases where the staff could reasonably misinterpret complicated rules.