Nine passport requirements to review before you travel

A lot of travellers don’t realise how strict passport regulations can be in certain countries. Missing a trip because you didn’t factor in passport or entry requirements is avoidable with just a little planning, especially when it comes to understanding the six-month validity rule and blank page requirements.

“Failing to comply with specific passport rules or guidelines can result in denied boarding or entry at your destination, leaving you frustrated, delayed, or even worse,  stranded,” says travel expert and co-director of Cheap Deals Away UK, Dawn Morwood.

“Passport rules vary significantly from country to country, and some are even enforcing stringent validity periods or requiring a minimum number of blank pages for entry stamps and visas.” she adds.

Dawn reveals some overlooked rules to help travellers avoid these pitfalls.

Key Tips for Passport Preparedness

Check passport validity

“Many countries, such as Indonesia, Bahrain and Thailand, enforce a six-month passport validity rule from the date of entry,” Dawn explains. “While countries like the USA are generally less strict, requiring only that your passport be valid for the length of your stay, it’s always wise to check specific visa requirements ahead of time.”

Ensure enough blank pages

Some countries, including South Africa, Russia, and China, require travellers to have at least two blank pages in their passports for visa stamps. If you’re flying to South Africa, not having the required pages could result in being turned away at the border.

Renew passports in advance

“The UK government advises you to allow three weeks for your passport to be renewed. However, some people wait much longer, and others less than three! It really is a lottery,” Dawn warns. 

Last-minute travellers should take advantage of expedited services, but even these can take a minimum of 2-4 weeks during busy periods. Always renew your passport as early as possible to avoid delays.

Passport information

Double-check your passport details, including your name and passport number, match exactly with your flight bookings and hotel reservations. Errors can cause delays at check-in or boarding.

Watch out for entry stamps

Entering Malaysia requires an entry stamp, and failing to get one could cause complications. Likewise, travellers in the Schengen Area must ensure their passport is stamped to avoid penalties for overstaying. However, this will be scrapped come 10 November 2024, where new biometric methods will be implemented.

Check visa requirements early

“This one’s a bit of a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised!” Dawn notes. Countries like Burma, Côte D’ivoire (Ivory Coast), India and Vietnam require e-visas or specific visa documents before flying in. Depending on where you go, these can take minutes, hours or weeks to process, so apply early to prevent any last-minute issues.

Read up on visa prices

Urging flyers to put some money aside for visa fees, Dawn advises: “The prices are always changing, but as a rule of thumb, visas to some popular tourist destinations can set you back up to three figures.” 

And she’s not wrong, with tourist visas for countries such as India, the United States, and New Zealand costing £127 (+/- R2 900), £119 (+/- R2 700), and £106 (+/- R2 400), respectively. 

Consider frequent traveller programs

“Frequent travellers, like myself, save time with programs like Global Entry (USA) and Registered Traveler (UK). They provide faster customs processing and entry,” says Dawn If you’re a frequent flyer, these programs can make border control much smoother.

Prepare for passport expiry mid-trip

If you’re travelling to countries like Mexico, where passport rules are more relaxed, you might not encounter issues. “However,” Dawn notes, “should your passport expire mid-trip, returning home could become problematic. Always, always check you have enough validity for the entire trip.”