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Passport Expiration #249075
03/04/2021 03:10 PM
03/04/2021 03:10 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,864
Portland, OR
jazzgal Offline OP
Traveler
jazzgal  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,864
Portland, OR
My passport expires about 5½ months after my return date from SXM. I would greatly prefer to renew my passport after I return rather than before I leave. The information I've been able to find is: American - passport must be valid for six months after I ENTER a country (it is); travel.state.gov - valid for duration of stay. Does anyone have any knowledge to the contrary that would say I must renew passport before departure? Please don't respond if you are going to suggest I do it now to be on the safe side. smile I am looking for FACTS that I may not have discovered.

Thanks.


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Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249078
03/04/2021 03:14 PM
03/04/2021 03:14 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,080
Massachusetts
boucharda Offline
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boucharda  Offline
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Posts: 5,080
Massachusetts
The facts are that it has to be valid, as you said, for six months after you arrive in a country,,,

The rest is opinion and maybe's

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249080
03/04/2021 03:30 PM
03/04/2021 03:30 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 208
Iowa
bbeach Offline
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bbeach  Offline
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Posts: 208
Iowa
We just went thru this in Iowa and finally went to our county court house. It is in fact 6 months from your return date to the United States. We were about 5 months out also and it is kind of confusing. $187.00 later for each of us we got expedited service in 5 weeks! Just one more close call to get here!

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249081
03/04/2021 03:45 PM
03/04/2021 03:45 PM
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 305
Rhode Island
E
eightzerobits Offline
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eightzerobits  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 305
Rhode Island
My understanding is that Sint Maarten only requires your passport to be valid for the duration of your stay. However, some of the airlines (like American) have their own rules because most countries do require your passport to be valid for six months from your arrival.

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249083
03/04/2021 03:51 PM
03/04/2021 03:51 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 208
Iowa
bbeach Offline
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bbeach  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 208
Iowa
They told us in Iowa it has nothing to do with where u are going but the return trip to the USA requires 6 months! That really suprised us! Thanks to a persons discussion on TTOL about passports we checked ours and called the court house in our county to get the verification!

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: boucharda] #249084
03/04/2021 03:53 PM
03/04/2021 03:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
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Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
boucharda--No, the FACTS are that Sint Maarten only requires the passport to be valid at the time of travel. That is the way that it has always been. And bbeach--that is incorrect. Never has been required that the US required a passport to be valid for 6 months after you return. That is BS.

Some other countries require a passport to be valid for 6 months after entry, but not Sint Maarten and definitely NOT the US.

Information from US State Department


Carol Hill
Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249087
03/04/2021 04:18 PM
03/04/2021 04:18 PM
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 305
Rhode Island
E
eightzerobits Offline
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eightzerobits  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 305
Rhode Island

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: Carol_Hill] #249088
03/04/2021 04:20 PM
03/04/2021 04:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,080
Massachusetts
boucharda Offline
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boucharda  Offline
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Posts: 5,080
Massachusetts
From the AA website...I just picked that airline because it's a common carrier to SXM

Quote
Passports must be: Valid for at least 6 months after the date you enter a foreign country. Kept in good condition, free of any damage beyond normal wear and tear, and material alterations. You may be denied boarding if you travel with a passport that appears damaged or altered.


...and the whole point of this discussion is mute since the OP said the expiration date was not a factor....

...and, yes, you are correct about SXM requirements

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: eightzerobits] #249089
03/04/2021 04:24 PM
03/04/2021 04:24 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
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Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
eightzerobits--NO, AA cannot have a longer rule than Sint Maarten requires, if that's what you are saying.


Carol Hill
Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249090
03/04/2021 04:34 PM
03/04/2021 04:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 538
Sugar Land, Tx
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IslandBoi Offline
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IslandBoi  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 538
Sugar Land, Tx
aa far as the US is concerned, a US passport is perfectly valid until it's stated expiration date....but the country you are traveling to may have different requirements/concerns....as Carol said, SXM, like the US, only requires your passport be valid at the time of travel, while other countries require at least 6 months before expiration


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Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249093
03/04/2021 05:52 PM
03/04/2021 05:52 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
kim Offline
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kim  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
Linda. I went to SXM 12/27 and returned 1/6. My passport had an expiration date of 3/6/21. I had zero issues. I asked TSA in Charlotte if I had to make a quick trip back to SXM end of January returning early February would I have an issue and they said flat out no! Once we realized we weren’t going to go (literally 2 days after getting home) I submitted my passport via the post office and expedited it. Got it back I think within 4 weeks.

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: boucharda] #249094
03/04/2021 05:55 PM
03/04/2021 05:55 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,864
Portland, OR
jazzgal Offline OP
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jazzgal  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,864
Portland, OR
Thanks, everybody. bbeach - I really think you were given bad information. Did you see what you were told in writing anywhere?


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Re: Passport Expiration [Re: Carol_Hill] #249096
03/04/2021 05:59 PM
03/04/2021 05:59 PM
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 305
Rhode Island
E
eightzerobits Offline
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eightzerobits  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 305
Rhode Island
Tell that to AA Carol. As boucharda posted, it clearly says on the AA site that a passport with at least 6 months of validity is required for any international travel. I certainly wouldn't rely on the local airport employees knowing that SXM doesn't require that and having a contradictory statement on the airline's website.

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: eightzerobits] #249097
03/04/2021 06:40 PM
03/04/2021 06:40 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
kim Offline
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kim  Offline
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Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
Well I flew AA down and back with zero issues. So who knows, but a passport is for 10 years. Not 9 years 6 months. Would I fly to China, or Iraq with 6 months left, probably not, but Canada or the Caribbean, yes. And TSA confirmed I was fine and AA never questioned a thing.

Re: Passport Expiration [Re: jazzgal] #249100
03/04/2021 07:18 PM
03/04/2021 07:18 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,460
île staten
Bobcat Offline
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Bobcat  Offline
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Posts: 12,460
île staten
https://travel.state.gov/content/tr...untry-Information-Pages/SintMaarten.html
*************************************
You are okay but the six month rule appiles to the French side.

Make a copy of this to carry just in case the airline gives you a headache.

Last edited by Bobcat; 03/04/2021 07:20 PM.

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Re: Passport Expiration [Re: eightzerobits] #249101
03/04/2021 07:18 PM
03/04/2021 07:18 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
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Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,466
Central Florida!
zerobits-If AA were to give anyone any trouble, they need to point them to the US State Department website. Anyone that is in this situation, just print it out. I have never seen anyone have any problem with this.. AA is WRONG. Do not ever depend on the airlines to get things correct. Someone here said that an airline website--not sure if it was AA or not--said that there was a quarantine going into SXM. Obviously that is WRONG.


Carol Hill
Re: Passport Expiration [Re: Carol_Hill] #249111
03/04/2021 09:55 PM
03/04/2021 09:55 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
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SXMScubaman  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
Absolutely correct Carol. Flying in and out of French side and Barths requires 6 months. Not Dutch St Maarten. If you plan on island hopping than you'll need the 6 months.


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