Holey Moley! I woke up early yesterday morning with a funny feeling- thanks to a very strong subliminal message from the Travel Gods suggesting that it might be prudent to check our passports- sure enough, everyone is good through 2007, except ME! My passport expires 7 days before our date of departure. After a panicky morning spent getting a new picture (very unflattering) and filling out expedited paperwork for a new one, I'm not believing how close I came to a very sad day at the airport, waving goodbye to DH and the kids. Phew.
And BTW- there are few things more depressing than looking at your last 3 passport pictures. Father Time is one cruel daddyo.

Recommendations are you renew your passport a year before it expires. Some countries will not allow entry if your passport does not have 6 months on it AFTER your trip to conclude.

Whew! That was a close call, sb.

And remember: "If you look like your passport photo, you're probably too sick to travel."

Thanks you SO much. I JUST checked all our passports and discovered my youngest son's was missing!

I immediately remembered we had put it in a cheap bookbag month or so ago for a field trip that required he bring a picture ID. The bookbag never made it back and I had forgetten his passport was inside. We did make inquiries with the trip leader and nothing came of it and I just wrote it off as a $5 loss.

We'll be travelling in a few months so there's time but how fortunate I saw your message and decided on a whim to take a quick look. Time to get busy replacing it.

I think I'll also get him an ID at the Motor Vehicle Dept. that will be easier to replace if lost.

THANKS AGAIN!

SB, regarding your last sentence about the cruelty of Father Time, Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "As we grow old, the beauty steals inward." So true.

glad you checked, bardo!
as far as inward beauty goes, Betsy- I'm now wondering if there is a microdermabrasion machine available that is strong enough to get the inner stuff to show up on the outside again. Perhaps Black and Decker makes one.

A few years ago returning from a 2 1/2 week trip with 46 teenagers the customs man looked at my passport photo and said, "Wow this must have been a rough trip. You look worse than your passport photo."

sbparadis: LOL!

diddl maus -- ouch!

Betsy: If that's true I wish I could turn myself inside out--I'd be gorgeous!

Neighbors had passport problems recently and because of procrastination had to shell out a ton of money to expedite receipt of a renewed passport. Then instead of receiving the new passport, got a letter informing them of errors on the application, which required more money and anxiety. It finally arrived the other day well in time for their departure on 6/17.

Guess I love to travel so much, I'm always on top of absolute necessities in order to get up and go.

Good reminder for everyone, not just a valid passport, but valid +6 months past your trip. The quote I believe is by Erma Bombeck, "When you look like your passport photo, it's time to go home."
;-)

I just renewed my passport last month, and I was impressed with how quickly it was done. Mailed it on May 9 and got the new one back on May 20.

I've renewed at least 4 times, I think and I never had trouble before- this time I feeling like it is a real chore. The post office gave me the wrong form the first time and it is a good thing I checked with them before I mailed it. Be careful as forms have just been changed. I've going second round now, and am sure glad I had extra pictures made and that I hadn't mailed it yet and still had my last passport.

Mine expires in August and I'm doing it now. It was $67 plus postage. Now after the second go-around I sure hope it comes as fast as the last poster's did.

sbparadis, what nearly happened to you DID happen to someone who posts on the French travel board over at www.slowtalk.com! The poster and her daughter arrived at the airport to go to Paris and lo and behold, the teenage daughter's passport <i>had expired eleven days prior!</i> There was absolutely nothing they could do but turn around and go home.

What had happened is that the mother and the daughter had gotten their passports at the same time. The mother's, of course, was still good, but the daughter's had only a five year run on it and had subsequently expired.

I don't look at any of my previous passports anymore!