Passport expires in a few months? You may not be able to travel

The traveler claimed in a TikTok has been viewed over 10 million times they were repeatedly turned away at the airport because their passports expired in five months. The traveler says they were told they needed a new passport to fly.

“Imagine planning a family trip for over six months to celebrate your mom’s birthday, only to get to the airport to be told you can’t fly,” the traveler said in the viral video. “I was refused because my passport was expiring in five months.”

Do some countries deny you entry if your passport expires within six months?

Yes, some countries will deny you entry if your passport expires within six months.

Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your travel US Department of State says. Some airlines may not even allow you to board a plane from the US if you do not meet this requirement.

For some countries, this rule is based on the date of arrival in the country. For others, the rule is based on the date you plan to leave the country.

The reason countries enforce this rule is because they don’t want to risk travelers to their country overstaying their passports, says Fastport passporta passport and visa expediting company registered with the US Department of State.

Many countries will not issue you a visa or entry permit if your passport expires within six months. State Department says. Some countries have variations of this rule where they deny entry to people whose passports expire within three months or one month, and some do not have this rule at all.

There are dozens of countries with this requirement or a similar requirement, therefore State Department generally recommends that Americans have a minimum of six months before their passports expire for each trip abroad to avoid potential travel disruptions.

The United Arab Emirates, where the traveler in the viral TikTok was headed, requires passports to be valid for at least six months prior to entry, Embassy of the United Arab Emirates says.

If you are traveling to a European Union country, your passport must be valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU country you are visiting, European Union says. But since some EU countries assume that all travelers will stay for the maximum allowed time of three months, you should still play it safe by keeping your passport valid for at least six months after your date of arrival in the EU, according to US Embassy and Consulate in Greece.

In some destinations, such as Hong Kong and Macau, US passports must be valid for at least one month beyond the date of travel. US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau says.

And then some countries, like Mexico, simply require your passport to be valid for the duration of your trip Embassy of Mexico says.

The US State Department maintains travel requirements and information for each country on its website. When you search for a country, passport validity requirements are listed at the top of the country page in the Quick Facts box. You can see an example of this at Germany travel page.