I Will Be Visiting Central America But My Passport will Expire in a Month, Would I Be Able to Travel?
Question: I will be traveling to Mexico in 2 weeks. I will also be visiting different countries in Central America after I depart from Mexico. My passport will expire in a month and a half. I would like to know if I can travel to these countries since my passport will expire soon. Will I have issues with my passport during my Central America trip? Can I renew it after my trip?
Answer: Well fortunately for you, you will not have any issues when entering Mexico. Being that your passport has to be valid for the time in which you will be staying in Mexico. If you are traveling to Central America, you will need to have a valid U.S. passport. There is an agreement that will allow you to have the 6 months validation requirement in Central American countries waived. American citizens should make sure that their passports are indeed valid for their intended stay in those countries before they travel.
Also, American citizens should have adequate funds for their projected stay. In addition, American citizens should have a return ticket to ensure that they will be leaving on set date. As an American citizen, it is not necessary to obtain a visa. You will have to obtain a tourist card. It costs $5 and is usually issued for 30-90 days.
The following link will provide more information on the rules and regulations for travel in Central America.
If you would like to renew your passport after your trip, you can do so by mail if you meet the criteria and guidelines. Regular passport processing usually takes about 4-6 weeks to obtain a passport. You can use and expedited passport service which will process your passport within 2-3 weeks.
The following link will provide more information and the guidelines on how to renew your passport via mail.
