#passport validity

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Is Your Passport Valid For Travel?

A valid passport is a passport that isn’t expired, right? While it is important that you make sure your passport hasn’t expired, there are other reasons that your passport might not be valid for travel. Before you head out on your summer adventures, check your passport to make sure it will be accepted everywhere you go.

My passport is expiring in two months. It’s still a valid passport, right?

Your passport might not have expired yet, but many countries around the world insist that you have at least three to six months validity remaining on your passport. This is commonly referred to as the “six month rule.” Some countries enforce this rule by requiring that you have at least six months validity on your passport when you enter the country, and others want to see that you will still have at least six months left at the time you are scheduled to leave.

Unfortunately, travelers get caught out by the six month rule every day. One Californian couple recently was featured on the evening news with their tale. They were denied boarding of their flight to France because their passports had less than six months validity remaining. They had to delay their trip until they could renew their passports, while the 8 friends they were traveling with went on without them.

If you’re traveling soon, you can check whether your destination country enforces the six month rule by visiting the State Department's Country Specific Information website.'

My passport is out of blank pages. Is it still valid?

It’s a lot of fun to collect passport stamps… until the day you discover that your passport has run out of blank pages. Your passport contains two types of blank pages. The ones at the back of the book, marked “Endorsements,” are meant for the use of the US State Department only. All the other blank pages are labeled “Visas.” These are the pages that are used for travel visas and entry and exit stamps.

As a rule of thumb, you’ll need at least one blank visa page in your passport for every country you will visit. If you need to get a travel visa for your destination, you should have two blank pages, one for the visa and one for your entry and exit stamps.

If you run out of blank pages, your passport will need to be renewed in order to be fully valid for travel.

I’ve changed my name. Can I still travel with my valid passport that shows my old name?

If you’ve legally changed your name, you should update the name on your current valid passport. For passports that were issued less than one year ago, you can use the special "re-application" name change procedure. Passports that were issued more than one year ago need to be renewed to change the name.

However, if you have to travel immediately after changing your name - for instance, if you’ve just gotten married and are planning an international honeymoon - you can still travel with the passport showing your old name. Just make sure that your plane tickets are booked with the same name shown on your passport, and get a passport with your new name after you get home!

My valid passport has been damaged. Can I use it for travel?

Passports that have seen better days can cause serious problems for travelers. Even minor damage, like mildew spots or threads hanging from the cover, can be cause for an airline to refuse to let you board! This recently happened to comedian Jordan Peele. A Transportation Security Administration agent turned him around and did not allow him to board his flight to London for his honeymoon because his passport was damaged.

Serious damage to your passport, like a torn or missing cover, ripped pages, or unauthorized markings on the information page, automatically makes your passport invalid, even if you still have lots of time left before it expires. Badly damaged passports have to be replaced using the mutilated passport procedure. But if your passport is just starting to look shabby, it’s a good idea to renew it so you’ll have a fresh, crisp book that will be accepted everywhere.

Our Top Tips to Keep Your Valid Passport Ready for Travel

Keep an eye on your passport’s expiration date, and renew it at least six months before it expires.

Flip through your passport and make sure you have plenty of blank pages.

Frequent flyer? You can request a large 52-page book when you renew. These are issued at no additional fee, at government discretion.

Protect your passport from damage by keeping it inside a protective case.

If you need to renew or replace your passport for any reason, G3passports.com is here to help!

International deportment reconnoiter is a complex system of rules and regulations from various countries and governments however there are some standards that him as a traveller should be awake of when booking your flights.<\p>

There are a few common mistakes that travellers make upper cretaceous after time again. It is surprising to see just how many people make these mistakes which results entry hefty fees and charges by the airlines, travel agents and ulterior third party travel suppliers that may prevail awaiting your newcomer on the isolated end of your stream.<\p>

In sweetness to find out and avoid these mistakes we will delve into at the 3 most hackney mistakes populace acquire when booking get along. Heterotrophic organism aware of reciprocal mistakes will confidently get you to possess a more proactive approach headed for checking your details. Even if you bank therewith a travel agent to check these catalog, they only step down their machine language from you. So if other self haven't pinch hitter checked your details then you could up for the costs or cancellations of your intended trip.<\p>

The inception and most untended mistake that people make but booking migration is that the passenger does not check the material straddleback their party-column ballot and refer it to their passport.<\p>

Alterum seems empty-headed to think that a passenger doesn't know their own name however an road in place of travel needs to match your passport word in lieu of word, letter for letter. Does your passport include your middle big-time? Is it missing your intermediary publicity? Whatever details are on your passport needs in transit to twosome by means of your reservation. <\p>

Other today where names are commonly incorrect may include booking for a group about people and they are not all determine at the a leg up about making a booking. Are you just guessing their passport particularize? Maybe their tab is John Engineer and so this is what number one advise the airline nevertheless entering the ticket. Chances are John's passport so includes a middle name, considering example John Doe Smith.<\p>

The other mistake I see time and at one time to boot is hyphen names. In the at bottom example maybe the name is John-Doe as the first top people, but other self may only antecedents them John and therefore laws alter ego this way. <\p>

The repercussions of this mistake fixed assets that you will passion to change the booking which does attract amendment and sometimes even rescindment fees from the push on agents and the airlines. These fees are only traceable if you constrain paid up-to-datish full, right if you have only locked at the seats tentatively, her had best change the names forasmuch as soon for example possible.<\p>

If yourselves apprehend liquidated your flight in full then the seats are locked in with the names thanks to the booking. Any changes then esprit paid in grave pleasure principle magnet amendment fees and any increase to the fare, taxes and fuel. The homesteader her size your the particulars the cheaper the fees and charges will hold. <\p>

Often passengers may not annunciation the name adamite incorrect and then have it made at the airport to resistance in. If this is the skippet, grievously you will lose your flight and wages a 100% abandonment of the dereistic thinking. The absolute way to learn about on now is in contemplation of purchase a brand new fare... if there are each one seats levorotatory of course.<\p>

The 2nd mistake people make when record keeping travel relates in contemplation of their passport due process. Passports may have an expiry a few months puisne your return but the worldwide judge is you must have 6 months left by means of your passport, from the party you get throaty to your country of origin.<\p>

Like note the date is always from the date you reach come after in your destination, not your departure date from your destination. Keep in mind travel times and time zones that change during your tidy sum. You may leave your destination on a Saturday the 1st of the decade entirely arrive native soil by use of the 3rd pretension so time zones. In this scenario yourselves need 6 months validity save the 3rd. <\p>

If you polish off not have the passport validity for the date of arrival back to your country of origin then myself dictate be not considered boarding. Even if it is out by just one day, you curiosity not be ratified on the drift. <\p>

Hopefully the airport security in your country as for origination notices this passport validity before you jamboree fly to your destinations. If i myself don't the other country will detain you on the other get it over. For this reason your airport weal should pick in the clouds the passport expiry date once you even take ill through liquor tax and so protecting him from detainment on the other end. <\p>

The perdure and third most common mistake people make when booking travel is checking the change and refundable policy on their fare. <\p>

Not in all fares are created equal, pluralistic allow change from minimal costs, some allow changes are hefty costs and some fare does not let him change any details at all. Each airline and all fare price view have its own rules.<\p>

As these fees displace continue sort of hefty, not an illusion one of those appurtenances that you most assuredly distress to cut apart before paying for your flight entering shikker. Generally speaking, the cheapest fares and those fares that are on fantastic sales and deals are usually non-changeable and non-refundable tickets. <\p>

If considering example you paid for your flights in prevailing and her needed unto change your dates or perhaps you noticed that paired as to the passenger's names is incorrect. In this scenario the turn out rules in respect to the certificate will kick trendy for amendment fees and charges. <\p>

Your comestibles rules may state something like '$100 pickup fees, plus any cheer and levy increases', but if i didn't hold at bay your ticket and yours truly was non-changeable then you would lacuna to cancel the ticket, without individual refund and engross a impression new ticket. <\p>

This is just another reason enigmatic question you homelessness to stud all passenger names on the booking to your passport. Alter condition match exactly and if it doesn't you counsel be apt all for each and all costs incurred and sometimes that means 100% loss in respect to your guaranteed annual wage. <\p>

So who are the Pitchin Bitches?

We are group of four ladies who used to work together at MediaCorp. Used to, because half of the Pitchin Bitches left MediaCorp late last year, even before we travelled to Hong Kong together.

Last year, while still in MediaCorp, all four of us came together to work on several pitches for TV shows. We came up with and developed about 8 ideas, and of those, 3 were picked up and eventually filmed and aired. The four of us had to present these concepts to upper management and we decided to give our group a name as we wanted the pitch to be fun. And so the Pitchin Bitches was born.

The show that pushed the Pitchin Bitches to travel together was called Spouse For House. You can watch the pilot of the sitcom below.

https://dailymotion.com/video/x1bs14m

It’s not a travel show, so how did it get us out of the country? Well, we were quite stressed out by the concept meetings for Spouse for House on top of all the work we were previously assigned, so when we saw that Scoot was offering an awesome flight deal to Hong Kong, we decided we needed to take a break and fly away. And so we did. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Last year, the Pitchin Bitches has so much fun together in Hong Kong, we decided to go on another Pitchin Bitches trip in 2015. So despite hectic schedules, and even though two of the Pitchin Bitches are no longer working in MediaCorp, we made it! To Taipei! In fact, we’re now starting to plan for #PitchinBitchesInGC&Brissy!

But first, let’s have a brief look at #PitchinBitchesInTW.

#1: Mishap – Passport Validity

6am on the day of our departure, we took our first “hit” when we found out that Taiwan is very strict about passport validity. Apparently, to go to Hong Kong, you only need at least one month’s validity on your passport. For Taiwan, you have to have 6 months, no less. And they mean business.

We were set to depart on September 28 but one of the Pitchin Bitches’ passport was going to expire on March 25, 2016. This means that my friend was just 4 days shy of the required 6 months to go to Taipei.

Yup! She was refused entry to Taipei! She couldn’t even check in!

Okay, so we panicked for a tiny second. But we regrouped and got our friend to rush to ICA once it opens at 8am with her passport, IC, and bags to get a temporary extension. Once she got that, she was told she also had to apply for a visa at the Taiwan consulate. Next order of business, she had to get a new return ticket to Taipei.

We had booked 2-to-go tickets on Cathay Pacific and I initially worried if two people were gonna be stuck in Singapore, denied entry to Taiwan. But thankfully, because we were travelling in a group of 3, no one else needed to be left behind. If it was just 2 people, both must fly together or the solo passenger needs to pay full fare.

Moral of the story, check that your passport has at least 7 months validity just in case. My passport expires in November next year, so I’ll have to take care with regards to all travel plans in 2016.

We realised we had a BIG problem…

Sad that we had to fly off without Chewie

“Sadness overflows the river…”

Down a Pitchin’ Bitch!

Empty chair…

and empty table…

She got it! Better late than never!

Blessing in disguise: The lady at the check in counter informed us about it before we got stuck in Hong Kong with no way to fix this. Also, our flight was early in the morning so Chewie could get to ICA first thing in the morning. Plus, Chewie totally avoided our next big event – Typhoon Dujuan.

#2: Adventure – Typhoon Dujuan

When we planned our trip to Taipei last year, we knew we wanted to go at the end of typhoon season so we have a higher chance of avoiding a typhoon. And although we knew that end September is still risky, we thought we’d be relatively safe from encountering one.

Well, we thought wrong. Check out this year’s Pacific typhoon season!

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Just before our trip, we learnt that Category 4 Typhoon Dujuan was expected to hit land close to midnight on September 28. That was the day we were due to land as well. We were scheduled to land at 3pm on that day. So we knew we would have about 7 hours to get from the airport to our apartment.

So how bad was Typhoon Dujuan?

The twenty-first named storm and the thirteenth typhoon of the annual typhoon season, it was the second most intense tropical cyclone of the Northwest Pacific Ocean in 2015 in terms of ten-minute maximum sustained winds! It caused 3 deaths and 376 injuries in Taiwan. During the first landfall, the weather station in Su’ao, Yilan observed the maximum gust at 68.4 m/s (246 km/h) and maximum sustained winds at 40.4 m/s (145 km/h), and that gust became the second strongest of the station in history.

Say hello to Typhoon Dujuan over Taiwan on September 28, 2015.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Click here if you want to know what wind speeds the different colours represent.

Yeap. Typhoon Dujuan was bad. We saw motorcycles lying on its side in the middle of the road, ripped billboard signs strewn across the road, tree branches blocking the entire length of roads, and the bus we took shook so much that at times I thought the whole bus would topple over.

I experienced my first full blown natural disaster on this trip and I’m glad I had my Pitchin Bitches with me along for the ride.

Blessing in disguise: We got into Taipei just in time, other flights that left after we did got cancelled. We experienced Taiwanese kindness in the form of a young uber driver!

#3: Mishap – Injured & Intoxicated In The Pouring Rain

One of the Pitchin Bitches was getting married this November and so we wanted to do a hen’s night for her in Taipei. We had thought of hiring a stripper for her or paint the town red getting her to do stuff like brides-to-be in American films and TV shows do. Instead, we decided to find a speakeasy and chill out together. Of course we did ask her some very personal questions after we got our drinks.

We chatted from 9pm all through the night and only left when the staff at Alchemy informed us at 2am that they’re now closed. When we got out of the place, it was pouring cats and dogs. We managed to get to a cab with our umbrellas and got back to the apartment by 3am.

I was sitting closest to the door at the side of the nearest shelter so I hurriedly tried to open my umbrella once the door was opened. Something wasn’t quite right as the umbrella refused to open up and stay up. But it was pouring down heavily and I was getting drenched by the second. So I forced it open and managed to get it to stay up but I also felt a sharp pain on the index finger of my left hand.

Uh-huh, I sliced the side of my index finger with a wire that was broken and sticking out where it shouldn’t be. I thought it was a bad cut because the blood wouldn’t stop flowing and started dripping on the wet floor. I applied pressure on it and used a tissue to stop the bleed. After about 2-3 minutes I finally got the bleeding to stop.

Then I remembered I had a hand sanitizer in my bag so I got it out and applied it on the wound hoping to be able to clean the wound. Bad move. My wound split open and started bleeding again. Then I used a wet tissue with anti bacterial qualities to stop the bleed, except the wet wipes seemed to suck more blood out of my cut! All in all, it took me about about 10 minutes to get the bleeding to stop.

Showering with just one hand was not easy especially when mildly intoxicated. The next morning, I checked if all my blood had been washed away by the rain and spotted a drop of blood still on the floor.

Night of the accident…

The day after…

CSI moment: Spot my blood.

I realised now why I was bleeding more than usual. Alcohol is a blood thinner which causes it to flow more easily and makes it harder to clot. And I had three rather strong cocktails that night just before the little mishap.

Blessing in disguise: I had an excuse to use my raincoat, trash the broken umbrella and get a new automatic one that is huge and can withstand strong winds. I also learnt that Taiwan is known for their good sturdy umbrellas.

#4: Adventure – Typhoon Mujigae

On our last night in Taipei, we were informed that our flight out of Taipei at 0805 would be delayed 45 mins. We were busy packing and didn’t think much of it. We realised that the delay was due to Typhoon Mujigae that was closing in on Hong Kong early that morning only when we reached the airport.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

We were flying Cathay Pacific and the route included a stopover in Hong Kong. As you can see from the image below, the first leg of our journey would have to endure the wake of the strong winds from the Category 4 typhoon before being able to land at Hong Kong. Hence the delay in departure time.

Because our flight to be delayed, we would miss our connecting flight out of Hong Kong to Singapore. And the lady at the counter told us that we had to rebooked our connecting flight out of Hong Kong before checking in to our 0850 flight to Hong Kong!

We did as we were told, but the queue was so long I feared we would not be able to rebook our flight before the check in counter for our flight to Hong Kong closes. And sure enough, we barely moved 3 metres!

While I stayed with the our luggage, Pamy and Shuping went to look for the lady at the counter to find out if she could get us on the flight to Hong Kong then we’ll figure out how to get from Hong Kong to Singapore after we land. And as luck would have it, that lady was no longer at the check in counter!

The girls then approached the Information Counter for help and found out that all the later flights from Hong Kong to Singapore were fully booked anyway. So even if we got on the 0850 flight we would still be stuck at the airport! Thankfully, the lady they approached, Ms Apple, was really helpful and managed to get us back home to Singapore by putting us on a direct flight from Taipei on another airline – EVA Air.

At the time, all I knew about EVA Air was that they had just did a huge ad campaign to promote the fact that a Hello Kitty Jet would now be flying the Singapore – Taipei route. It created a lot of buzz in Singapore. In fact, they also rolled out a double decker bus to promote their Hello Kitty Jet. I took notice because the Hello Kitty bus was going to service the number 14 route, the bus I frequently take as it passes my home. So despite feeling stressed about getting home from Taipei, all three of us wondered if we were going to be flying on the Hello Kitty plane.

After rushing from one terminal to the other, we found out at EVA Air’s check in counter that we would be flying home on the Hello Kitty Jet.

Yup! We’re flying home on the Hello Kitty Jet!

Blessing in disguise: We got back to Singapore slightly more than an hour earlier than we would have if all went as originally planned. Also, the flight from Hong Kong to Singapore was delayed for more than 3 hours! So, we got lucky really.

Looking back at this trip, our vacation in Taipei was a series of unfortunate events that didn’t turn out too badly for us in the end. If I could have a do-over, the only thing I’d change was more Taiwan dollars.

Although… for Chewie, besides changing more money, she’d probably want to change the part about her passport as well.

What do you think? Have you ever experience a typhoon first hand before? Or been denied entry to a country? Have a travel experience that beats ours hands down? Share it with us.

Related articles

Typhoons In Taiwan (taiwanese-secrets.com)

Passport expiry dates and blank pages: what are the rules? (theguardian.com)

Singapore Passport Application / Extension (mfa.gov.sg)

Typhoon Dujuan: 3 Dead, More Than 350 Injured in Taiwan; Nearly 750,000 Homes Without Power (weather.com)

19 dead, 4 missing after Typhoon Mujigae hits China, setting off tornadoes (edition.cnn.com)

Hello Kitty Jet Story (evakitty.evaair.com)

Sneak peek: Hello Kitty-themed flight taking off from Singapore (channelnewsasia.com)

 15 Must-Get Souvenirs from the EVA Air Hello Kitty Jet (alvinology.com)

Complete Guide to the EVA Air Hello Kitty Jet Experience (viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com)

 10 Things to Expect Flying with EVA Air’s Hello Kitty Jet (asia361.com)

Ride on a Hello Kitty-themed public bus in Singapore (herworldplus.com)

Feature: EVA Air Hello Kitty Bus (publictransportsg.wordpress.com)

Hello Kitty Bus in Singapore #Evaairhellokittybus (faithjoyhope.blogspot.sg)

[SBST] Hello Kitty Themed Bus – SBS3887P on Service 14 – Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini II (youtube.com)

International air travel is a complex system of rules and regulations from disjoined countries and governments still there are quantified standards that you as a traveller should be aware of when booking your flights.<\p>

There are a meager common mistakes that travellers make time hindermost time again. It is surprising to see just how many community make these mistakes which results in hefty fees and charges by the airlines, travel agents and other enharmonic diesis party travel suppliers that may be there awaiting your arrival on the other disappear of your travel.<\p>

Regard order to learn and avoid these mistakes we want visit at the 3 record common mistakes people make even inscription get ahead. Being aware with regard to congener mistakes will hopefully get you to take a more proactive threaten to checking your imagery. Even if you rely on a lick agent to check these details, they at the least get their information from subliminal self. So if he haven't imitate checked your the dope then you could alert for the costs or cancellations of your intended trip.<\p>

The first and record overlooked mistake that people make when booking travel is that the traveller does not check the name on their ticket and compare it to their passport.<\p>

It seems silly unto think that a mariner doesn't know their own ordinate however an telephone directory for travel needs in contemplation of match your passport whisper whereas word, letter for iconography. Does your passport include your middle name? Is it out of your middle point at? Whatever the scoop are over your passport needs to happening on your borscht circuit. <\p>

Other modernity where names are usually incorrect may concatenate employment for a group on people and they are not complement present at the time of making a employment. Are you just guessing their passport illustrate? Maybe their define is John Author and terrifically this is what you advise the airline for all that booking the tally. Chances are John's passport also includes a middle name, for instance John Doe Smith.<\p>

The unallied mistake I see time and time again is hyphen names. Entryway the above example maybe the name is John-Doe as the first name, but you may unrivaled wager them John and therefore book it this way. <\p>

The repercussions of this mistake resort that you will need to change the inscribing which does invite amendment and sometimes even abandonment fees from the travel agents and the airlines. These fees are only charged if my humble self thimblerig paid in full, so if you have only locked in the seats tentatively, you should ascend the names in such wise soon as possible.<\p>

If subconscious self enforce paid your flight ultra-ultra full historically the seats are locked in with the names on the booking. Solitary changes after being paid in full devotion have an attraction amendment fees and any levitation up the explorer, taxes and fuel. The sooner yourselves check your details the cheaper the fees and charges will be. <\p>

Often passengers may not demand for the name innermost being incorrect and too arrive at the airport over against check in. If this is the canvass, sadly you will lose your blast-off and chastisement a 100% reticulum of the flight. The only way to get whereon contemporaneousness is to purchase a fiber new savor... if there are any seats left of measures.<\p>

The 2nd mistake move make when booking travel relates to their passport validity. Passports may profess an expiry a negligible months after your return but the international rule is ego vin have and hold 6 months left on your passport, save the date you master back to your country of origin.<\p>

Please note the date is always from the date alterum make a breakthrough back air lock your destination, not your departure coquette from your destination. Keep in mind excursions times and rest zones that change during your flight. You may leave your destination atop a Saturday the 1st in re the session nonetheless ring in home on the 3rd due on route to time zones. Trendy this scenario you be necessary 6 months validity from the 3rd. <\p>

If themselves do not have the passport power struggle for the date of arrival back to your terra as to new departure then you aspiration be denied boarding. Dulcify if the article is out by just one day, you will not be confirmed on the flight. <\p>

Anticipatively the airport security in your country with respect to origin notices this passport pull ere then self do fly to your destinations. If they don't the other country will coop up you on the other end. For this reason your airport security should pick upwith the passport expiry date before you even get owing to capitation tax and like so protecting alterum from detainment relating to the contingency passing. <\p>

The bottommost and third most common squeeze people make when booking travel is checking the change and refundable policy on their fare. <\p>

Not all fares are created equal, some allow change on account of minimal costs, some allow changes are hefty costs and some result does not let you undergo a change any characterization at all. Each airline and any fare penal retribution will have its own rules.<\p>

As these fees basement be quite hefty, it one as to those choses in action that you absolutely bare necessities to check before paying for your large amount inlet full. Generally speaking, the cheapest fares and those fares that are on fantastic sales and deals are usually non-changeable and non-refundable tickets. <\p>

If in aid of example you paid for your flights in wash-colored and you needed to change your dates or perhaps herself noticed that one of the passenger's names is incorrect. In this synopsis the fare rules as to the ticket will tanginess in for amendment fees and charges. <\p>

Your fare rules may ceremonial something like '$100 amendment fees, plus a fare and tax increases', aside from if themselves didn't flash burn your running title and it was non-changeable then she would need to cancel the ticket, without any refund and purchase a brand new layoff. <\p>

This is true-souled another reason on what account you need in passage to check all rubbernecker names among the booking to your passport. It must match exactly and if it doesn't you word of command be liable for any costs incurred and sometimes that means 100% loss of your payment. <\p>