Should I renew my passport now or when I return?

by Roland
(Gainesville, Fl 32605)

Question: I will be traveling with the University of Florida on a joint tourism mission with the nation of Turkey. I will depart on March 4 or March 5 and return on March 12 of this year 2011. My passport expires on August 12, 2011.

I worry that my passport might be delayed getting back to me if I renew now. So would it be advisable to simply renew when I return? The passport still looks like me (somewhat younger)

Thank You and hope for a quick reply

Answer: The consular services of the Turkish embassy requires your passport to have at least 3 months of validity beyond the expiration date of your visa to Turkey. If you already have a visa, then this may not be a problem. If you still need to obtain your visa, then it probably will be.

American citizens can obtain a single-entry visa that is valid for 3 months or a multiple-entry visa that is valid for 1 year from the Turkish embassy in the United States. Note, this process can take up to six weeks unless you expedite the service.

Expedite Turkey Visa

Multiple-entry visas to Turkey valid for 3 months can be obtained at the Turkish border gates by American citizens.

Either way, your passport will not meet the requirement of 3 months validity beyond the expiration date of the visa whether you get it from the embassy or when you arrive in Turkey. To avoid any problems, you are encouraged to renew your passport prior to your trip. Routine service takes 4-6 weeks. Expedited service takes 2-3 weeks.