ABD Passport Info - Canada 6 month validity?

[laceltris3]

I am looking at doing a Canada trip for summer for 2018, and am deciding between ABD and Tauck Bridges (leaning towards TB because it is so much less per person). My kids' passports are good for only 4 months after I'd expect we would go, but I'd rather not renew them 6 months early if I don't have to. It says on its site that passports must have 6 months validity for the trip to Canada. Is that just boilerplate that they put up for every trip ? The State Dept says that passports must just be valid for the stay. I notice it also says that for Costa Rica, which also does not really have a 6 month validity rule either.

 

[Darlynne]

Honestly, we've found the requirements for time left on US passports to be all over the map (ha!), varying by country, by airline, sometimes, it seems, by wind direction. Here's a quote from travel.state.gov:

"Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Consider the following scenario: A country requires that you have at least six months of validity on your passport. You currently have seven months of validity on your passport. However, your trip is two months from now. At that point, you will only have five months of validity remaining on your passport which is not enough to satisfy that country's entry requirements. In this situation, you would need to renew your passport before you can make your trip."

On the same website, information specific to Canada indicates the passport must be valid at the time of entry.

Check with the airline you're flying, check with a Canadian consulate, if you can.

 

[Woodview]

You might check out if you require a Visa type entry form ( for each person ) to fly into Canada

 

[AquamarineSteph]

When we went to Costa Rica, the gate agent at the airline was the one who verified that we met Costa Rica's tourist requirement of having a return flight already booked. It took them forever to get our information correctly into the system, because we had two, separate one way flights on different airlines rather than a roundtrip ticket on one airline.

I'm don't know if passports are handled the same way, but I'd definitely check with both the State Department and the airline you plan to fly.

 

[sayhello]

When we went to Costa Rica, the gate agent at the airline was the one who verified that we met Costa Rica's tourist requirement of having a return flight already booked. It took them forever to get our information correctly into the system, because we had two, separate one way flights on different airlines rather than a roundtrip ticket on one airline.

I'm don't know if passports are handled the same way, but I'd definitely check with both the State Department and the airline you plan to fly.

I agree! It doesn't matter what Canada's policies are if the airline won't let you on the plane!

Sayhello

 

[DCPhotoGal]

Actually we learned firsthand that kids (unless they are older teens) don't need valid passports to travel to/from Canada. We had scheduled a trip to Niagara Falls and later realized that my kids' passports were expired (those 5-years go quickly) and didn't have time to renew before the trip. I read up on it and turns out kids only need proof of citizenship, for which expired passports will suffice. We drove across the border in both directions with the kids expired passports and nobody even mentioned anything. But the others are right, might want to verify with the airlines.

 

[SirDuff]

Actually we learned firsthand that kids (unless they are older teens) don't need valid passports to travel to/from Canada. We had scheduled a trip to Niagara Falls and later realized that my kids' passports were expired (those 5-years go quickly) and didn't have time to renew before the trip. I read up on it and turns out kids only needs proof of citizenship, which expired passports work for. We drove across the border in both directions with the kids expired passports and nobody even mentioned anything. But the others are right, might want to verify with the airlines.

The key here is that you drove. For kids (but not adults) the rules are different for driving or on a boat (basically, land and sea borders) than for flying. Though, actually, the problem is getting back into the US (but Canada isn't going to let you in if you cannot get back out).

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/canada.html

Entry into Canada: Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.

Children under 16 need only present proof of U.S. citizenship.

Entry into the United States: When traveling by air from Canada, U.S. citizens are required by U.S. law to present a U.S. passport book. A few exceptions to this rule and a full list of documents that can be used at land and sea borders are provided on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.

 

[laceltris3]

I have decided I'll go ahead and renew the passports. I am convinced that I don't technically need the 6 months validity, and it's likely the kids would be fine, because adults have good passports and everyone has a flight booked out, it's not worth the hassle of having to deal with an extra burden at immigration, especially when traveling with kids.

From my research, I have gathered that the typical passport stamp is good for 180 days, so they won't do it if you have less than that in your passport and you are delayed while they get the special documentation to match the entry permission with your passport expiration. Not worth dealing with.

Thanks for your help!

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

My passport expires in February, 2018. For our Antarctica trip (departing from Buenos Aires) our passports need to be valid for 6 months after the trip. So I will have to renew this summer (I won't be in Toronto for more than a few days at a time after August). It is a pain for sure because it also affects my Nexus and Green Cards (they need my current passport number so I have to schedule a visit with US Immigration and Nexus Canada). But definitely better than being turned away from my flight to Buenos Aires or at immigration in S. America.

 

[carpenta]

Good choice! Why worry? Just renew and put it to rest. I have found the passport department is one arm of the government that really works well and having just renewed ours it was "super service" return. Happy travels.