WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama, on Monday issued a reminder to make sure your passport is still valid before booking international travel. Also, he said, applying for a new passport or a passport renewal is currently taking two months or longer.
“As we head toward the spring and summer travel season, many people are booking trips that take them out of the country. My office is already receiving many calls from people who have booked these types of trips and don’t realize until the last minute that they either don’t have a passport or their passport has expired. In passport emergencies, my office will be glad to assist in these situations,” said Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama. “As a reminder, any travel by U.S. citizens that will take place outside of the borders of the United States requires a valid passport, even to Mexico or Canada. Also, many countries require a passport to have at least six months of validity left on it past the dates of travel.
A few points to keep in mind about passports:
- The passport application process for a new passport, or a passport renewal, takes approximately eight weeks, and in some cases longer.
- Processing time does not include mailing time.
- As a general rule, passports must be valid for six months beyond the date the traveler will exit the U.S., so make sure, even if your passport is still valid today, that it will still be valid six months beyond your scheduled travel dates.
- If you request an emergency passport, because of the current influx of requests, there is no guarantee it can be processed in time.
For more information on passports, visit www.usa.gov/passport.
