Travel Tips Customs + Immigration Why You Should Check Your Passport's Expiration Date Right Now Here's how long it takes to renew a passport. By Isis Briones Isis Briones Instagram Website Isis Briones is a writer and editor who has covered travel, fashion, and design for more than eight years. She got her start interning for magazines such as Seventeen and Marie Claire during college. After graduating, she covered lifestyle at InStyle and went on to become an entertainment writer at Teen Vogue. Soon after, she went freelance and moved to East Africa, where she lived in Rwanda, Burundi, and Zambia, and began covering travel for Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, Forbes, and more. She has moved back to NYC, but travel continues to be her main inspiration. She's currently the style editor on the branded content team at Complex. * 8+ years of experience covering travel, design, and architecture * Interned for Seventeen and Marie Claire during college * Received a bachelor's degree in communication and Spanish from Wake Forest University Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines and Elizabeth Rhodes Elizabeth Rhodes Instagram Twitter Website Elizabeth Rhodes joined the Travel + Leisure team in 2019 as an associate digital editor, covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer. Her favorite things include beautiful hotels, surprise flight upgrades, and talking about the places she loves. * 5+ years of experience working as a travel writer and editor * Received a master's degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 14, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Before you even think about booking that bucket-list vacation, there's one thing you need to do right now: Double check the expiration date on your passport. It's vital to make sure your travel documents are valid for at least six months past the dates of any planned international trips. Since passports are valid for up to 10 years, it's understandably easy to forget when exactly it needs to be renewed (especially if you don't use it all that often). This seemingly small detail could result in a travel disaster. Related: More travel tips While the U.S. allows travelers to use a passport until the exact date listed on the front page, that's not the case for many other countries. For example, if you want to check out the natural beauty of New Zealand, your passport needs to be valid for another three months past your trip. Want to spend a week on the beach in Thailand? Six months. (You can check the State Department's website for the specific requirements for different countries.) Even though some countries have more lenient requirements, it's better to play it safe. Getty Images/iStockphoto Related: You Can Get a Second Passport If You Have a Grandparent From One of These Countries All those requirements mean you might need to renew your passport sooner than you thought. Here's how long it will take to renew your passport. How long does it take to renew a passport? If your passport's time is almost up, don't wait — start the process now. If your passport's time is almost up, don't wait — start the process now. Passport processing times vary — you can expect to wait between eight to 11 weeks for routine processing and five to seven weeks if you go the expedited route, according to the State Department website. You'll have to pay a $60 expedite fee, if you don't want to wait for routine processing. If you have an urgent situation (like a life or death emergency) that requires an immediate renewal for international travel within 72 hours, you can make an in-person appointment. You can also pay extra for one- to two-day delivery, which means that your passport will be shipped to you within one to two days after it is printed. Related: What Your Passport Color Really Means Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit