Entering Mexico with a passport expiring in less than 6 months
 

Does Mexico have the "six-month rule?" That's the rule some countries have that you cannot enter if your passport will expire within the next six months.

I have found very little on this topic - it has been said that Mexico DOES have the rule, but it is never enforced. Also that the airlines will deny boarding if your passport will expire in less than six months, but I have not seen that on any airline websites regarding documentation requirements.

I am traveling to Mexico in February and in April 2011 (two trips) ... my passport expires the end of August. It's just annoying to consider that i would have to renew before May or June. Kind of like passports are really only good for nine and a half years, just another rip off.

Yes I'm pretty sure Mexico does. Who will decide if it is enforced is: 1) the airlines on the way down, 2) immigrations at your point of entry to Mexico, 3) the airlines coming home, and 4) immigration back into the U.S.

Why take a chance?

I would definitely get my passport renewed now. You do not want to be stopped trying to get home. You have lots of time.....

Mexico does not have any requirements as to remaining validity on a passport. Verified this on Timatic as well as websites of the US State Department, Mexico Embassy in DC, and the US Embassy in Mexico (http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/eacs_sheet.html).

No such requirements returning to the US either. You get to use all ten years of your passport.

Thanks, NoFlyZone ... that's what I was thinking. When I am returning from my second trip down, I will still have over four months left on my current passport.

Otherwise, I would have to renew in January in order to insure that I have the new one in time for my February trip. That's eight months before it expires!

Thanks for the correction. Obviously I was wrong in thinking Mexico had similar to Europe.

Does THE USA have a six-month rule?

I've asked here but no one has answered.

(I am a Canadian traveling by car to the US at Christmas and have a passport that is approaching its expiry date.)

From Timatic: "Nationals of Canada may enter [the United States] with passports valid for period of intended stay." There are other provisions but I'm only addressing the question asked, and only for Canada (lazy).

I am in Aruba as we speak and my DH's passport will expire in 2 months. I checked in advance and they said the passport must only be valid for the length of stay. We had no problems with this at all upon leaving the US or arriving here in Aruba.

I know the American government requires passports of everyone flying into the US, hence we must have a passport for any travel out of the country. But as most of you recall, it was only in 2007 when this requirement went into place. Before that we could travel to Mexico, Canada and most of the Caribbean w/o a passport, all we needed was proof of US citizenship. I wonder if these same countries are not requiring passports of us, but the only reason we need one is because the US government is requiring it? Therefore it doesn't matter if it will be expiring soon.

I hope that makes sense, it's just my guess as to why this part of the world doesn't require much validity on a passport.

Makes sense to me. That we need our passports to get back into the US. And interesting point that the whole passport requiment at all for this part of the world is fairly new. I traveled on a folded up birth certificate and my drivers license for many years into Mexico.

I'm really curious as to what would happen if a US citizen tried to return to the US with an expired passport. Would they refuse you admission and return you to...the US? No other country would take you. Would you have to spend the rest of your life in a customs and immigration office?

clevelandbrown, I'm betting the airline won't let you on the plane to the US with an expired passport, or at least they shouldn't. But it's a good question as to what would happen if they did allow it by mistake.

suze, we also used to travel to Mexico and Canada with only a birth certificate and an ID. Those were the days....

My impression is you would be stuck in the country you found yourself, and needing to get to a U.S. embassy to deal with renewing your passport so you could return home. But that's just a guess.