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The Six Month Validity Rule for U.S. Passports - List of Countries

six month validity rule for US passports.

Many countries require travelers to have passports with at least 6 months of remaining validity as an entry requirement. Some require the passport be valid for six months from the date of entry while others require six months validity beyond one's stay.

If your passport does not have the required amount of validity, the airlines will not allow you to board your plane. Unfortunately, many travelers only discover this rule within days of their departure dates - or, worse yet, after they arrive at the airport. This means rescheduling flights and rushing to expedite a passport renewal. For some, this may mean cancelling their trip altogether.

Click for reliable expedited passport courier service.

Below is a list of all the countries that currently follow the six-month validity rule. Be aware, however, that entry requirements change. You should always contact the embassy of the country you plan to visit as well as your airline(s) to verify the passport requirements for your international travel itinerary. That said, making sure your passport's expiration date is at least six months away from your departure date will help you to avoid most potential complications.

The list is organized by continents with countries listed in alphabetical order. Be aware that many of the countries on the list also require a visa for entry.

Europe is absent from this list. Due to stricter border controls in many European countries, the US State Department recommends that American citizens traveling to the countries in the Schengen Area should have a passport with six months of remaining validity. That said, the official requirement is only three months validity. While the rules for entering the countries that are a part of the Schengen Agreement are slated to change with the introduction of the ETIAS visa waiver program in 2025, this is not expected to change the required amount of passport validity required for entry.

Africa

Algeria
Angola
Botswana
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the
Cote d'Ivoire
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritania
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
South Sudan
Sudan
Tanzania
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia

For more, check out our complete guide to Africa Travel Document Requirements

Asia

Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma
Cambodia
China
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Qatar
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Vietnam
Yemen

For more, check out our complete guide to Asia Travel Document Requirements

North America

Antigua and Barbuda
Cuba
French West Indies
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Trinidad and Tobago

Oceania

Fiji
French Polynesia
Kiribati
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
New Caledonia
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Solomon Islands
Tonga
Tuvalu
Vanuatu

South America

Bolivia
Ecuador
Guyana
Peru
Suriname
Venezuela

Just discovered your passport doesn't have the six months of validity required? Passport processing times may make it impossible to get a passport on your own in time for your trip.

Visit the nearest regional passport agency or get an expedited passport courier service to submit the application form on your behalf and renew your passport as quickly as the same day.

Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers

1. How can you get a passport when you're in a hurry?
2. What exactly does a passport expediter do?
3. Are passport expediting services legitimate?
4. How can I identify a reliable passport expeditor?
5. Is expedited passport service worth it?

Get answers to these questions and more in our Ultimate U.S. Traveler's Guide to Passport Expediters.

You can also visit our library of articles about passport expediting.

In a Hurry? Get Reliable Expedited Passport Courier Service:Expedite My U.S.Passport Now!

About the Author: For over 20 years, the U.S. Passport Service Guide team has helped hundreds of thousands of travelers with their travel document questions and shared advice about how to make traveling abroad simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.

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