Your holiday and summer plans are ready, but is your passport?
Now is the time to find your passport and check its expiration date (and the passports of everyone traveling with you). Please do not wait until the night before you fly or while you are checking in at the airport to find out your passport is expired. Airlines will not allow you to board a flight if you do not have a valid U.S. passport. And, the Embassy cannot issue emergency passports when we are closed (after hours and on weekends).
If you’re looking to renew it soon or need to apply for a new one, now is the time to do it. On average, it takes 2-3 weeks to receive a passport in the mail. However, as we enter the summer busy season, appointment times are filling up quickly and travelers may have to budget extra time to apply for and receive their passports.
Not sure you should get one now?
Many times, travelers think they don’t need a renewal or are not aware of passport guidelines in other countries. We recommend that travelers have at least 6 months validity left on their passport. Entry requirements differ depending on each country. Many countries, including those in the Schengen area, require a passport be valid for at least 3 months beyond the time of the traveler’s trip, even for those transiting only.
For more information on how to renew a passport, check our website: https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/
