Passport renewal....when?

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

We have our cruise in April and our passports expire in August.
It is suggested that passports not have less than 6 months before it needs to renewed. Our cruise will be at the 5 months before renewal.

Looking at the State/Gov site for passports nowhere does it say when to renew!

What would you do?

***

[OTownNick]

I would get them renewed after your April cruise.

[FSUNole]

[quote name='Arizona Cruz Chic']We have our cruise in April and our passports expire in August.
It is suggested that passports not have less than 6 months before it needs to renewed. Our cruise will be at the 5 months before renewal.

Looking at the State/Gov site for passports nowhere does it say when to renew!

What would you do?

***[/QUOTE]

For international travel, some countries will not let you in if your passport expires in less than 6 months. Its not a problem on a Caribbean cruise, however. But, why not just renew? You have the time and its not like you're saving much by delaying.

[bigeagle12]

I would not renew until after you return.

However, here is the info from the State Department site:

[URL]http://travel.state.gov/passport/faq/faq_1741.html[/URL]

Q:How long is a passport valid and when should I renew my passport?

a:If you were [B]over age 16[/B] when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for [B]10 years[/B].

If you were [B]age 15 or younger[/B] when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for [B]5 years[/B].

The [I]Issue Date[/I] of your passport can be found on the data page of your Passport Book or on the front of your Passport Card.

If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

If your passport has already expired, you may still be able to renew your passport by mail. See [URL="http://travel.state.gov/passport/renew/renew_833.html"]How to Renew Your U.S. Passport[/URL].

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

[quote name='bigeagle12']I would not renew until after you return.

However, here is the info from the State Department site:

[URL]http://travel.state.gov/passport/faq/faq_1741.html[/URL]

Q:How long is a passport valid and when should I renew my passport?

a:If you were [B]over age 16[/B] when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for [B]10 years[/B].

If you were [B]age 15 or younger[/B] when your passport was issued, your passport is valid for [B]5 years[/B].

The [I]Issue Date[/I] of your passport can be found on the data page of your Passport Book or on the front of your Passport Card.

If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

If your passport has already expired, you may still be able to renew your passport by mail. See [URL="http://travel.state.gov/passport/renew/renew_833.html"]How to Renew Your U.S. Passport[/URL].[/quote]

Thanks, just read the same after digging through the site!

We're gonna renew them this month!

***

[constantcruiser]

You're smart to do it now. We just renewed ours and got them in about 10 days! If you wait closer to spring break, it's likely to take longer.

[Cruzin-K]

[quote name='Arizona Cruz Chic']Thanks, just read the same after digging through the site!

We're gonna renew them this month!

***[/QUOTE]


Good choice.

You should have them back in plenty of time. Mine took three weeks from the day I mailed in the renewal until the day I had my new passport in my hands. They sent my old passport back in a separate envelope a few days later (I was scared for a couple days that I wasn't going to get it back, but I did).

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='Arizona Cruz Chic']We have our cruise in April and our passports expire in August.
It is suggested that passports not have less than 6 months before it needs to renewed. Our cruise will be at the 5 months before renewal.

Looking at the State/Gov site for passports nowhere does it say when to renew!

What would you do?

***[/quote]

I would renew now while you have the time.

That said, the six month rule is not a US rule. It is a rule set up by other countries. Mexico for example does not have this rule. So I traveled to Mexico in April with a passport that expired in September (since renewed).

If you don't know about the countries you are visiting, then why take the chance? If you do know that none of the countries you are visiting require that the passport be good for six months, then there is no need to worry about it.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

All good points! TYVM.
Yes we will be renewing this month, plenty of time and peace of mind that it is done! :)

***

[pollux]

My will expire in Oct. I will renew Monday because if I wait till May that is the time for summer travel.
Passport return will be longer and you may want to go again soon.
Spend the 110 now or sorry later.

[Coralc]

[quote name='Arizona Cruz Chic']Thanks, just read the same after digging through the site!

We're gonna renew them this month!

***[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't bother to renew until I returned from the April cruise. You can fly with a driver's license if you are flying to another US port including San Juan.

None of the ports or countries in the Caribbean are at all concerned about when your passport expires.

You just lose that much more time on it when you renew early. If you aren't planning some really exotic trip between April and August, I would just have happy, relaxed, tanned photos taken when I returned from the cruise and send them off sometime in that interval. :D:):D

[jsmeeker]

April 2013?

I would renew NOW assuming you had no plans to travel internationally within the next month. I jut renewed mine and got it back in three weeks.


If you wait until AFTER the April cruise, you will have less than 6 months validity on it. If you wanted to make another international trip after the cruise, you would be all set.


I think you are making the right choice here.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

When you renewed yours as a married couple....2 passports at once, did you mail them together in one envelope or two separate ones?
Together did you write one check or two?

10 years ago is too long to remember how it all works! ;)

***

[Coralc]

[quote name='Arizona Cruz Chic']When you renewed yours as a married couple....2 passports at once, did you mail them together in one envelope or two separate ones?
Together did you write one check or two?

10 years ago is too long to remember how it all works! ;)

***[/QUOTE]

2 envelopes and 2 checks.