I just discovered that our passports are expiring in February. We are due to leave for Mexico on January 1 to return January 8. I just read that the requirement is for a valid passport not due to expire within 6 months of travel. Has anyone been in a similar situation?

Huston You will most probably have a problem. Good luck

You would probably do well to contact the State Department.

OMG -- my passport is about to expire!!! Thank you SO much for inspiring me to check!

I have an appointment for 9 a.m. at the local SF passport office to renew my passport. Hope that it can be done in this one working day--Dec. 31, 2014.

Best wishes, Michael! Let us know how it goes.

Good luck and a good reminder to everyone to check your passports!

You will have a problem my friend...

We will pick up our passports at 3 p.m. We are lucky to be living in a city with a passport agency.

Excellent news! Enjoy your trip.

I think renewing your passport was the right thing to do. Although, from everything I've read on the subject, Mexico does not have a 'six month rule' in regards to passports. (Contrary to what the US website on the subject states.)

That said, some airlines have been known to deny boarding to those without six months on their passports.

Trip advisor is full of threads about this subject, and, far more anecdotal posts from travelers who had no issues with passports close to expiration dates.

It's a US restriction, not Mexican.

For future reference, since it's obvious you rarely travel, every country requires at least 6 months validity on your passport.

No. That's not true. Many countries require less than six months, but since six months is so common, that's a good benchmark to use when deciding when to renew a passport.

A friend traveled to Central Asia with a passport that was two weeks beyond the 6 months and upon exiting the U.S. was told that she might not have been able to return because she was staying there (on official U.S. government sponsored work) more than two weeks.

Other friends went and came back from Korea with a passports expiring in three months.

I would always make sure to have more than 6 months beyond the expected return date - sometimes plans change, flights are cancelled or rerouted. One time, for example, we had a family emergency back home and all the flights from Honduras to the US were booked for the next 5 days' we had to hop a charter from Honduras to Belize and fly home from there.

We had to renew passports a few years ago because a 6 week trip was ending a week under 6 months out - I was a little sad to miss out on those 7+ months. My passport was almost full anyway so I chose the option for extra pages this time around - more travel motivation, game on!

"A friend traveled to Central Asia with a passport that was two weeks beyond the 6 months and upon exiting the U.S. was told that she might not have been able to return because she was staying there (on official U.S. government sponsored work) more than two weeks."

Sounds like a misunderstanding. The Central Asian country may or may not have permitted her to enter, but the U.S. has no such requirement for citizens returning home.

It was upon exiting the U.S. and specifically referred to the validity of her passport on her return.

Well, whoever told her that was wrong. Hoping it was just some idiot working for an airline, and not an idiot working for the government.

The U.S. has no such requirement of its own citizens. As long as your passport is still valid, you'll get back in, even if it's on the last day of validity.