Even If Your Passport Is Currently Valid, You May Not Be Able to Enter These Countries

Many countries around the world require U.S. passports to be valid for three or six months after your planned departure date.

When you’re planning an international trip, just having a valid passport when you travel might not be enough at the airport. In fact, many countries require your passport to remain valid for several months after your planned departure date.

The exact rules vary by country, but this small detail can turn into a major issue. According to the U.S. Department of State, many destinations require at least three or six months of remaining validity on your passport before you can enter—and airlines might even deny boarding if you don’t meet that requirement. Some places, like Canada, Mexico, and Ireland, only need your passport to be valid at the time of entry or for the length of your stay.

So if you’re dreaming of a trip outside the U.S., the State Department recommends making sure your passport has at least six months of validity left to avoid any problems. They also suggest renewing soon-to-expire passports “early to allow for delays.” Right now, routine passport renewals take four to six weeks, while expedited service takes two to three weeks—and you can now renew online if you’re using routine service.

To help plan your 2025 travels, here are some of the most popular destinations grouped by their passport validity requirements, as listed by the U.S. Department of State:

Countries That Require Passports to Be Valid for at Least 3 Months After Departure Date

• Austria
• Belgium
• Croatia
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Iceland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Portugal
• Spain
• Sweden
• Turks and Caicos

Countries That Require Passports to Be Valid for at Least 6 Months After Departure Date

• Cambodia
• China
• Egypt
• India
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Morocco
• Singapore
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• United Arab Emirates

Countries That Require Passports to Be Valid at Time of Entry or for Duration of Stay

• Argentina
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Dominican Republic
• Ireland
• Japan
• Mexico
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• United Kingdom