Leading an international short-term mission trip requires lots of prayer, preparation and attention to detail. Visas and passports comprise just a few of the many details you need to tend to, but they are among the most important details.
The country your team visits may or may not require a visa, but it will certainly require a valid US passport. In recent years, more and more countries have adopted the mysterious “six month passport rule,” a rule that continues to catch unsuspecting travelers by surprise.
The “six month passport rule” is a policy adopted and enforced on a per-country basis. If you are traveling with a U.S. passport to Europe, Asia, South America or a host of other areas, the country you are visiting will likely require that your U.S. Passport be valid for 6 months following your expected date of departure (not date of entry).
Often perceived as just a nuisance or “payback” for similar policies the U.S. places upon visitors to its own shores, the “six month passport rule” does serve a valuable purpose. If a team member becomes sick or incapacitated, the host country does not want to risk the chance that they overstay their passport validity and have trouble returning home when able.
The only way to know for sure is to check with the embassy of the country you are visiting. Also, you can visit the U.S. Department of State website, enter your destination country, and look for “passport validity” under the “Quick Facts” heading. Do the research and don’t rely entirely upon travel agents and ticket counters for the final word. Once at the airport, it is way too late to get a passport renewed.
To be safe, be sure to include on your trip application a place for team member passport number, expiration date, and name exactly as it appears on their passport. Double check the passport expiration date, and ask any team member with a passport expiring within 12 months of your return date to go ahead and get their passport renewed now. That way, even if your mission trip gets postponed a few weeks, you’re good to go.
Safe travels, and thanks for the important work you do to help support missions!
