[NoHo Arts District, CA] – This month’s Active World Journeys travel blog by Jack Witt talks about how to “Super Size your Passport.”
Here in the USA, passports for adults are valid for 10 years from the date of issue. The standard issue comes with 28 pages. If you frequently travel, it might be a good idea to renew your passport and request a 52-page version. The good thing is that there is no price difference between the 28-page and the 52-page passport, and I can tell you that the additional thickness of the 52-page version isn’t cumbersome to carry around, you hardly notice the difference.
If you’re not sure you need more pages, just be aware that some countries may in fact require an entire blank page when visiting (Mexico, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, Greece, Thailand, Australia, Morocco, Argentina, and Vietnam) and some may even require two blank pages (Italy, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, and Iceland). If your passport is getting full or is full, you can renew it early and choose the 52-page option. You don’t need to wait until it expires, even if you are not yet traveling.
To renew your U.S. passport, you can either renew it online or by mail. If eligible, you can renew online through the U.S Department of State website. Otherwise, you’ll need to complete the DS-82 form, include your most recent passport, a photo, and the fee ($130), and mail it in. Expedited service is available, which reduces the processing time from the usual 4-6 weeks to 2-3 weeks for an additional fee of $60; however, this option is not available for online renewals. You may also pay an additional $22 for 1–2-day delivery of the new passport once it’s printed.
When visiting another country (or countries) on a trip, your passport needs to be valid for at least six months beyond the last day of your trip. I host tours worldwide through my travel brand Active World Journeys and I’ve had cases where travelers were not allowed to board their flights in the USA to the tour destination because their passport did not meet this requirement.
Keep in mind, if you are part of the current uptick in Americans exploring moving out of the USA due to the political environment, your passport is only good for visiting a country as a tourist for a certain period of time, usually 90 days. If you wish to stay long-term and/or relocate to another country, you’ll need to explore their visa and residency options. Every country has different requirements and it’s a complex web of guidelines.
Cheers,
Jack Witt, MS, CPT
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