Important New Passport Laws: What You Need to Know

Beach Lovers, if you haven’t had your passport renewed since 2006 or 2007, now’s the time to do so. Why? Because your passport is only good for ten years.

Just to refresh, ten years ago something called The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was put in place. It’s a law that went into effect in 2007 and mandated that American citizens entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda carry a passport. If you’ve traveled since then to any of these places, this is not news to you.

However, there IS some travel news that you need to know about.

The Six Months Validity Rule. Some countries require that your passport must be valid for more than six months before you can enter. While there are more countries around the world that require this, the beach in our sun ‘n sand universe to which this rule applies is Nicaragua.  Good to know, right?

The Effect on You. The Passport Bureau has experienced a big uptick in applications. We’re talking millions. If you’re planning a beach escape, you don’t want to delay in renewing your passport–it can take up to six weeks. And with the new Six Months Validity Rule, you need your passport to be valid before you hit the sand in some places. The good news is you can renew online. If you have any questions, just go to the State Department page.

But back to what we love most–luscious white sands and aquamarine waters the temperature of bath water. Aren’t these calling your name? Thought so. Just call 1-800-915-3162 and let our Beachologists make all the plans for your all-inclusive vacation package to Beach Eden. Or if you’d rather, get the lay of the sand of all the getaways we offer to Mexico and the Caribbean right here. Remember: no matter what time of year, hitting the beach to warm your sweet self up is always a good idea.