Four Reasons Why Your Passport Could Be Invalid



Do you think your passport is valid? But you could be mistaken. Each day, thousands of travelers are stuck at airports because their passport isn't valid. Here are the top four passport validity problems that could prevent you from boarding your next flight.

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1. Your Passport Expires Too Soon

You may have to renew your passport if your passport expires within the next six months. You may be prevented from entering certain countries by laws.

If your passport expires soon, you will be refused entry to the airport. The State Department recommends renewing your passport immediately if it expires within the next nine months. Traditional passport renewal processing can take 6-8 weeks. Call us now to renew your passport within two weeks.

For information about specific countries' entry requirements, visit the Department of State's Website or contact the consulate or embassy.

2. You Don't Have the Right Foreign Visas

You can travel to 183 countries with your U.S. passport without applying for visas. There are currently 196 countries worldwide, plus or minus a few. Although you can travel to many places using a U.S. passport alone, it is impossible to go everywhere. You will need a visa to enter popular destinations such as China, India, and Brazil.

Many visa regulations vary depending on where you are traveling. Contact an embassy or consulate for your destination country, or use an expediting visa service like RushMyTravelVisa.com.

3. Blank Pages are Out of Reach

Another potential problem spot is hidden on the back of your passport. You can't travel if you don't have enough pages to stamp your passport. There are visa stamps for certain countries that can take up to an entire page or even two pages. You must renew your passport immediately if you have run out of passport pages. You won't run out of pages as quickly with the new passport books, 52 pages.

4. Your Passport is Damaged

If your passport is damaged or lost, you must have it replaced before traveling.

Do not let passport validity issues stop you from going on your next international trip. For regular service, expect to wait six to eight weeks and for expedited service to be completed if you use the post office. Call us today for faster service. We can process your application in 24 hours without you needing to travel or make an appointment.

American citizens who have traveled the world are likely familiar with passports. This also means they have seen all the steps involved in getting that passport.

Before applying for a passport, travelers should be familiar with the requirements for the travel document. The approval process can take as long as six weeks. It's easy if all rules set forth by the Department of State are followed.

Sometimes, however, the passport process can be a bit complicated. Sometimes, it could be an oversight or a simple mistake that prevents you from getting a passport.

Knowing the most common reasons passports are denied can help you avoid potential problems when applying for them.

Information That is Missing

If you don't provide the required information on the application forms, you can lose your passport.

Fill out a Form DS-11 to prove your citizenship and provide valid identification. The U.S. Department of State should be contacted if you do not have one of these forms of identification. They may be able to help you with other forms of proof of citizenship.

It can save you a lot of time if you get it right the first time. If any information is not correct, your passport application may be rejected. You will need to start over.

About This Author

Philip Diack is Founder and Managing Director of Passports and Visas.com, a national passport and travel visa service with offices in Atlanta, Miami, Washington, DC, NYC, Denver and San Francisco.

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