In order to travel internationally, a passport holder must have at least six months of validity remaining on the document at the time of departure. Certain types of visas require an even longer period of validity.
Some countries require travelers' passports to contain two to four blank pages for visas, and airlines may bar entry to anyone without them. There is no fee to order extra visa pages.
Passports damaged by washing, regular wear and tear, or in some other fashion should be replaced before you travel.
Travelers should keep passports handy to confirm identity on border-crossing trains, ships, motor vehicles and airplanes, even in consolidated areas like the European Union.
The WHTI requires appropriate identification for entry or re-entry into the United States, including travel from Mexico, Canada and 17 Caribbean nations. The State Department's wallet-sized passport card is acceptable for land or sea travel, but you'll need a passport if flying from any of these countries into the U.S.
Certain individuals are exempt from the above requirements, including merchant mariners and U.S. military with travel orders.
