Document Management

Most countries require visitors to have a passport that is valid for a minimum of six months beyond the intended period of stay. There are exceptions, for example some countries only officially require three months validity beyond stay, but airlines often enforce the strictest international guidelines to protect themselves against any liability. An airline may deny a passenger from boarding if their passport does not have at least six months validity remaining beyond their return ticket. To avoid any possible issues entering your destination or boarding your flight, it is important to make sure your passport will be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your trip.

There may be plenty of blank space in your passport, but unlike regular arrival stamps, visas can only be stamped on a completely blank visa page. Even if a page has only one small stamp, it cannot be used for a visa; this is also true for visas stamped upon arrival. Many countries require two or more blank pages, and some countries require blank pages to be adjacent (two pages facing each other so that visa and stamps are placed together.) Some countries may not require a visa for entry, but still require one or more fully blank visa pages to stamp entry stamps upon arrival. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you have several fully blank pages and know what is required for your destination. Please keep in mind that endorsement pages in the back of a passport are not for visas or entry stamps.

Even if a page has been marked with only one small stamp, it cannot be used for a visa – the page must be entirely blank. Some countries may require two or more adjacent blank pages. The US State Department no longer issues visa page inserts for US Passports; if a passport has too few remaining blank visa pages it is now possible to apply for a renewal. US citizens who are frequent travelers should select the ‘52 Page Book (Non-Standard)’ when completing the passport application form. Citizens of other countries should find out whether they can apply to have pages added to their passport. If not, we recommend renewing the passport when most or all visa pages have been used.

Yes. If you are applying for a visa, with very few exceptions, the original passport is required. This is because the visa will be stamped or affixed inside the passport on one of the blank visa pages. There are some countries that will accept a photocopy of the passport and issue the visa as a loose-leaf document, and some countries have an electronic process and do not require the original passport. When this is the case, Nomadic will clearly explain this in our instructions and will specify that only a copy of the passport information page is required. In most cases, the original, signed passport must be submitted along with a visa application.

US citizens are permitted to hold a second valid US passport; citizens of other countries should find out whether they are eligible apply for a second passport. The advantage of a second valid passport is that one passport can be used for international travel and identification while the other passport has been submitted with a visa application. Travelers with a second valid passport must be careful to make sure they know which passport holds the correct, valid visa for every trip and must make sure they are carrying the right passport. Nomadic can process a second valid passport application for US citizens.

United States citizens can apply for a Passport (booklet) and a Passport Card at the same time for a small additional fee, by selecting this option on the passport application form. The US Passport Card is a travel document that can be used to enter the US from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. The US Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel.