Passport & Travel Documents

Check every traveler’s passport as soon as international travel becomes a possibility—ideally before confirming a trip that requires one.

Reviewing it early gives you more time to address expiration, damage, name differences, missing pages, renewal eligibility, or another issue before departure.

That depends on the requirements of every destination included in your itinerary. Some destinations require additional passport validity beyond the planned travel dates.

Review the requirements for your destinations, connections, cruise ports, airline, and travel supplier rather than relying only on the printed expiration date.

Some qualifying U.S. citizens on certain cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port may be permitted to travel with other approved citizenship and identification documents.

However, requirements can vary by itinerary, destination, age, citizenship, and cruise line. A valid passport book also provides greater flexibility if an unexpected situation requires you to fly home internationally.

A passport card has limited uses for qualifying land and sea travel. It cannot be used for international air travel.

For most Caribbean resort vacations reached by air—and for travelers who want greater flexibility—a passport book is generally the more practical choice.

The traveler’s name should be entered carefully and consistently according to the identification or passport being used for the trip.

Review all names immediately after booking. Correcting a mismatch later may involve supplier rules, documentation, fees, or restrictions.

A self-taken photo may be accepted only when it meets every current passport-photo requirement for size, background, lighting, expression, position, image quality, and recent appearance.

Review the official photo examples carefully. A noncompliant photo can delay the application.

A passport issued before age 16 cannot use the standard adult renewal process. A new application must be completed using the current requirements for the child’s age.

Review appearance, parental-consent, relationship, identification, photograph, and document requirements well before the family’s next international trip.

Secure digital and paper copies of the passport information page can be useful if the original is lost or stolen.

Store copies separately from the original, protect sensitive information, and remember that a copy does not replace the original passport for travel.

That depends on local requirements, your activity, transportation, destination, and whether the original document is needed that day.

When the original is not required, many travelers prefer to keep it secured and carry another appropriate form of identification or a copy when practical. Confirm the requirements for your specific destination and activity.

Follow the current reporting process and contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for instructions. Local authorities may also need to be contacted depending on the circumstances.

Secure copies of your passport, itinerary, identification, insurance information, and emergency contacts may help during the replacement process.

Renewal eligibility depends on factors such as the passport’s issue date, your age when it was issued, its condition, whether it is available, and whether your current legal name can be properly documented.

Use the official eligibility instructions to determine whether you can renew online, renew by mail, or need to submit a new application in person.

Every traveler is responsible for obtaining and carrying the documents required for their citizenship, age, destination, itinerary, method of travel, and personal circumstances.

Your travel advisor can remind you to review documentation, but final requirements should be confirmed through current official government and travel-supplier sources.