When Will Your Passport Expire?

Are you planning a trip internationally?  Do you have a passport?  When does it expire?

While a passport has always been required to travel internationally except Canada and Mexico, approximately a decade ago new requirements mandated that passports were required for these countries as well.  This new mandate led to a surge in applications.  Why is this important? 

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Many of these passports are set to expire in the next two years.  Add to that the increase in foreign travel by Americans, which means Passport Services will see an influx of new and renewal requests.   Normal processing time is 4-6 weeks, expedited is approximately 3 weeks and expedited at agency is approximately 8 days.  With the anticipated influx of requests, these turnaround times are likely to get longer. 

Most countries require passports to be valid a minimum of 6 months from time of arrival, and you should also be aware that passports for children under the age of 16 are valid for only 5 years.

If your passport is set to expire in 2016 or 2017, get ahead of the curve by renewing early.  Don't disappoint yourself by not having a valid passport in time for your trip.