This summer is gearing up to be a doozy for travel. With nearly 85% of Americans planning to travel this summer, according to The Vacationer, and summer travel costs expected to increase due to inflation, low seat supplies because of pandemic layoffs, lack of pilots and airport staff, and retired planes, the last thing you want ruining your summer plans is a technicality on your passport.
What is the six-month minimum passport validity requirement?
Many countries won’t let visitors in if their passports expire within six months—a fact you might not know until after you’ve bought your plane tickets, booked lodging, and worst-case scenario, are face to face with the immigration officer who refuses to stamp your passport.
Some countries mark the deadline from the day you enter while others are more strict and want you to have at least six months by the time you’re due to leave the country. This list only takes the passport’s expiration deadline into account, not the visa requirements. You’ll need to look into the specific country’s passport rules and regulations to see which rules they follow.
Here are the countries that won’t let you in if you don’t have at least six months left before your passport expires:
Europe
Austria*, Belgium*, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic*, Denmark*, Estonia*, Finland*, France*, Germany*, Greece*, Hungary*, Iceland*, Italy*, Latvia*, Liechtenstein*, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Malta*, Netherlands*, Norway*, Poland*, Portugal*, Russia, Slovak Republic*, Slovenia*, Spain*, Sweden*, Switzerland*, and Turkey.
*Some Schengen countries only require visitors’ passports to be valid for three months after their intended stay (so technically you’d be able to visit those if you have at least three months left in your passport). Others will assume you’ll stay the full three months of the visa, regardless of how long you actually stay, and require an additional three months (for six total). Make sure to check the country’s rules and regulations.
Non-Schengen Europe, Asia and the Middle East
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, East Timor, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, West Bank/Gaza Strip, and Yemen.
Africa
Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
North America and the Caribbean
Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad, and Tobago.
Central and South America
Belize, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Suriname, and Venezuela.
South Pacific
French Polynesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
This is by no means a complete list of all the countries that require you to have at least six months left in your passport to visit, only the most popular spots. Make sure to do your own research before booking anything.
