Picture this… you’re at the airport, ready to board your flight to that dream destination you have been wanting to go to for ages. Only to be told by the gate agent that your passport isn’t valid. Wait, what? There are few things that many people forget to look at on their passport before heading out on a vacation – and they’re things that could ultimately affect your entire trip. From visas to expiration dates (that are far more confusing than you may think), we narrow down three things you need to check on your passport before you book your next flight.

1. Triple check that expiry date (it can be quite deceiving)

One of the most common neglects on a passport is checking the expiry date. Sure you may have a general idea of when it expires, but that expiry date might not actually be accurate enough. Why? Many countries require a passport to be valid for 6 months after your intended visit to the destination. So just because your passport expires on December 31st and you’re flying to Portugal on December 1st, you actually need your passport to be valid for 6 months after your intended trip for it to be considered valid. This will often get flagged at your check-in period–when you enter passport information. Unfortunately, that is too late to get your passport updated. The rule of thumb to avoid mishaps related to your expiration date – renew your passport one year prior to the expiration date that is listed in your passport. That will ensure you not only won’t have the ordeal of it not being valid for long enough, but it will also give you ample time to have it renewed should there be a delay in the passport processing system.

2. Check how many available pages you have

Your passport is so full of all these amazing stamps collected from around the world – yay, you! But, before you jet off on your next adventure, check to see how many fully available pages you have left in your passport (meaning no stamps or marks on them at all). Some countries require 1-2 fully empty pages in your passport in order to insert a new visa (some may take up an entire page). Failure to have these pages available could mean that your visa or entry will be denied (either before you leave if you apply for the visa in advance, or at the port of entry). And you guessed it, by that point it’s likely too late to get a new rushed passport done.

Photo: @henryzw

3. Make sure contact information is filled out (because you never know what could happen)

Many miss the page at the front of the passport where you are supposed to fill out contact information (and some even forget to sign their passport!). It doesn’t seem like a big deal to get it filled out ASAP, but it will be a big deal if you happen to lose your passport. That information will be invaluable if your passport is found by someone who can then mail it back to you, or call you (whether they do so themselves or hand it off to the local authorities or to the local embassy to contact you). Keep in mind it’s also important to either have paper copies of your current passport, or photos of your current passport on your phone, should you need to go to an embassy or consulate to obtain an emergency passport (it will make the process of getting either an emergency passport, or the return of your original passport much easier).

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