I have an opportunity to go on a (free!) impromptu 10 day trip to Italy from October 1-11 (hotels are no problem because I can stay with friends.) My question is -- will I have a problem because my passport expires November 1st? I would never have thought so, but then I read something recently that suggested having at least 6 months of time left on your passport before traveling abroad. Is this true? Will I have a problem getting into Italy with my passport so close to expiration? Thanks for any help anyone can give me!

If you live in NYC, Washington, Chicago, or one of the other cities with a Passport Office, you can go to the office and get your passport renewed same day, with proof of your flight within 2 days. <BR> <BR>I got my first passport this way, took an afternoon of my time and was well worth the effort.

Given the current political climate, the possibility of flights being grounded is not far fetched. Renewing your passport is probably a good idea. You'll probably be fine, but I imagine it would be a real hassle if, on the off chance, planes were grounded for a couple of weeks and your passport expired.

Renew your passport before oyu leave. Many countries will not accept a passport that expires during thier tourist visa time period (usually 6 months). I had a friend turned away at the airport here in San Diego for the same reason as he was trying to leave for a hsort trip to Asia.

If you're not in a city with a passport office, check with your post office person who does the passport processing for info, then call your congressman's local office right away to get assistance to expedite your renewal.

Renew your passport ... it has to have 6 months on it from the date you arrive <BR> <BR>Mark

Thanks for all the info everyone! I always considered myself a pretty experienced traveler, but I had NEVER had a clue about having 6 months validity on my passport. Just proves no matter how much you travel, you can always learn something new!

I think the 6 months only applies to countries for which you need a visa. But better safe than sorry!

Actually, even a short-term visit to Italy requires 3 months left on your passport. So it even applies to non-visa requiring stays and places (I checked with the Italian consulate.) Check your passports everyone -- don't make the same mistake I did!

All of the Schengen states require that your passport have 3 months left beyond your planned stay. If you are staying long enough to need a visa, it is 3-4 months beyond the expiration of that, depending on the country. <BR> <BR>

My husband lost is passport and had a trip coming up, so he applied and paid the extra fee. He received the new passport in a mail within a few days. Marilyn

I'm so glad this came up; I leave for France in two weeks. I just checked the Canadian Dept. of Foreign Affairs website Travel Report for France, which says that your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return. Mine expires in 5 1/2 months, so I'm just off to get my picture taken, and I'll be at the passport office first thing Monday morning.