Tip: Check Your Passport Expiration Date

Tip – Check Your Passport Expiration Date!

A passport is required for travel outside the U.S., including Canada and Mexico. If you haven’t checked the expiration date on your passport recently, we recommend you do it now.

There was a flood of passport applications in 2007 when a passport for travel to Canada and Mexico was first required (this deadline was later changed to January 1, 2009).   Since everyone who got their first passports in 2007 will have those passports expire in 2016, the government predicts another wave of passport applications next year. Not only are millions of passports up for renewal in the next 24 months, but more people are applying for their first passport.

Also, next January citizens who run out of visa pages will have to obtain a new passport instead of having additional pages inserted.

Many countries require passports be valid for six months on arrival. Keep this in mind when planning your next cruise or international trip. In the past passport season began in January and peaked in March, however since last year, the trend has been for it to continue to rise throughout the year.