Help with Passports, please!

[LBelle]

Hello!
We live just outside of Toronto, Ontario. We are heading to Disney Sept 17th-27th. Driving to the border at Niagara Falls and flying out of Buffalo, New York.
Our Canadian passports expire Oct. 22nd. Does anybody know if we have to have a minimum of 6 months remaining on our passports for entry to the US?
Also, our son will be turning 13 this week. His passport expires a year after ours...so his pic was taken when he was about 9 years old. TOTALLY different child (was a 'stocky' youngster who is now a tad over 6 ft tall and very slender)....I suppose we should probably redo his passport as well just to update the photo. What do you guys think?
I guess I've pretty much answered my own questions....I'd be nuts to take a chance with something messing up because I didn't bother to renew before needed but I just wondered if anybody had some recent experience like this.
Thanks so much for any info.

 

[DebbieB]

I was looking at this article, I don't see where it mentions anything about time left on a passport.

http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...faqid=619&p_created=1056630853&p_sp=undefined

 

[aristocat65]

I wouldn't chance it. On a recent cruise we took, our documentation actually said to have no less than 6 months left on your passport to be assured passage. You might be ok, but if you get a sticky border guard they can refuse you because you can legally stay in their country for 6 months (I think) and your documentation would expire before that time.
As for your son, don't worry. Mine also didn't look anything like his age 9 passport photo for a few years. They're kids. That's expected. I certainly wouldn't renew his anytime sooner than you need to because you want him to get as much use out of a "junior" priced passport before he has to renew at adult prices!
Have a great trip

 

[Tozzie]

Hello!
We live just outside of Toronto, Ontario. We are heading to Disney Sept 17th-27th. Driving to the border at Niagara Falls and flying out of Buffalo, New York.
Our Canadian passports expire Oct. 22nd. Does anybody know if we have to have a minimum of 6 months remaining on our passports for entry to the US?
Also, our son will be turning 13 this week. His passport expires a year after ours...so his pic was taken when he was about 9 years old. TOTALLY different child (was a 'stocky' youngster who is now a tad over 6 ft tall and very slender)....I suppose we should probably redo his passport as well just to update the photo. What do you guys think?
I guess I've pretty much answered my own questions....I'd be nuts to take a chance with something messing up because I didn't bother to renew before needed but I just wondered if anybody had some recent experience like this.
Thanks so much for any info.

Your passport must be valid for 6 months past the date of your stay,
here is the paragraph taken from the official US Department of State website

Passports, regardless of the type, must be valid for six months past the expected stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). This is a requirement for all categories of passports - regular, diplomatic, and official - when the traveler is seeking to enter the United States for business or tourist purposes, for a maximum of 90 days.


I would renew as soon as possible. Good Luck

 

[LBelle]

Thanks so much everybody!

Will renew all 3 of them (peace of mind with the son's) next week. Takes about 2-3 weeks to receive them.

Better safe than sorry!!

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Interesting...so really we are paying for 5 years worth of passport that is really only good for 4 1/2.....I can't believe the Canadian government would do that

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Interesting...so really we are paying for 5 years worth of passport that is really only good for 4 1/2.....I can't believe the Canadian government would do that

I don't see where Canada made the US entry rule...

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't see where Canada made the US entry rule...

And it works against Americans entering other countries as well...gotta prove you're not going to outstay your welcome and that you can get back home!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Your son doesn't even need a passport. Anyone under the age of 16 doesn't need anything beyond a birth cert.

 

[sshaw10060]

The 6 month rule is pretty international. I had a friend that was almost denied entry to Costa Rica because she only had 4 months left on her passport.

 

[chartle]

Interesting...so really we are paying for 5 years worth of passport that is really only good for 4 1/2.....I can't believe the Canadian government would do that

No its not like once you use it to enter a country its not needed any more.

You need a "good" passport while you are in a foreign country and if you can be in that country for 6 months after you enter you need to have a "good" 6 months left on your passport.

 

[Oz-kateer]

A friend of mine had an accident whilst in the US and ended up staying for an extra 4 months until she was stable enough to travel back to Australia - if her passport had been almost ready to expire it would have been a huge issue as she would have been in the US not only outstaying her 90 day visitors visa but on an expired passport to boot.

They need to be assured that any unforeseen circumstances can be taken care of and that your passport will be valid for a reasonable amount of time past the actual dates of your intended travel.

 

[uva185]

Interesting...so really we are paying for 5 years worth of passport that is really only good for 4 1/2.....I can't believe the Canadian government would do that

It is not Canada imposing the rule. Most countries in the world require your passport to be valid 90-180 days past your intended departure date. Some countries require you to have a certain number of blank pages in you passport (ex. South Africa requires 2 full blank pages) even if they only "stamp" half a page at entry. Always read the entry requirements prior to departure so you can be prepared!

Ironic this came up because just last night my friend showed me her passport she plans on using to go on her honeymoon next week, it expires in less than 90 days so she started to freak out last night and neither her nor her entire family had heard of the 90-180 day rule. Then again the only stamps she had in the past two years were from Canada and Mexico.

 

[rewok]

For entry to the US by car, your 13 year old son does indeed not need a passport, a birth certificate will be enough. No need to pay for a new passport over a year early, you shouldn't have problems with that. See paragraph starting with "Citizens 15 and under":

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/whti-ivho/ls-tm-eng.html

As for the 6 months validity rule, there are quite a bit of countries exempted of it. And Canada is, not surprisingly, part of those (come on, 2 months ago you could cross with only driver license & birth certificate...) Here is the list on the official US CBP Website:

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov...lentin_04162008.ctt/clp_bulletin_04162008.pdf

 

[iluveeyore]

Not about passports, but just curious as to why you don't cross in Fort Erie into Buffalo??? Much easier, and only about 15 minutes or less to the airport from the border crossing. Just wondering