US Passport Validity: How Long is Your Passport Good For?

The passport is one of the essential documents for traveling besides a visa and, as such, it’s important to make sure ours fills every international requirement so that our flights go without a hitch.

In the case of the United States, both acquiring it for the first time and the passport renewal process have their own rules. Here you will discover everything about the validity of US passport.

How long does it take to get a passport?

Passport renewal usually takes from 10 to 13 weeks. For $60 extra, you can expedite the process and get it done in 7 to 9 weeks. 

However, this is just the processing time: you also have to take into account mailing times, which can take as long as a month (approximately 2 weeks for your passport application to arrive and the same for getting the final product sent to you). If you’re planning a trip and you need to comply with the US passport validity for travel, this is very important to avoid interference with your schedule. 

How long does it take to renew a passport?

The timeline is the same for passport renewal and for getting your first one (10 to 13 weeks, not counting mailing times). You can also expedite your renewal for $60 extra. 

Is a valid passport enough to be granted entry to a country?

A valid passport could, in some cases, not be enough to guarantee access to a foreign country. 

The reason for this is that, even though it might be in effect, your passport could have a validity of less than 6 months, which would not fit with most requirements of entry. Most countries require US passport validity of at least 6 months from the start of the trip.

Another reason for being denied entry to a country if you have the required US passport validity could be the amount of blank pages available, because there are countries that demand at least two blank pages to put a stamp on.

How far in advance should I begin the passport renewal process?

To be safe, you should start your passport renewal if it has less than 9 months of validity. With this amount of time you will never have an expired passport and you will not have any problems when traveling abroad. 

You can learn more about how to start your passport renewal in the US here.

What is the US passport validity for adults?

US passports can be valid for 5 or 10 years. For people over 16 years of age, the validity of their passport will be 10 years.

What is the US passport validity for a child?

For children under 16 years old the passport validity is 5 years. 

Even if they get a passport renewal, if they’re younger than 16, the passport will only be valid for 5 years. Once they reach 16 years of age, it will be 10 years. 

How much is a passport?

The fees vary depending on the type of passport you’re applying for and the age of the holder.

First passport for adults (16 and older)

• Passport book: $130 + acceptance fee of $35
• Passport card: $30 + acceptance fee of $35
• Passport book + card: $160 + acceptance fee of $35

Passport renewal for adults (16 and older)

• Passport book: $130
• Passport card: $30
• Passport book + card: $160

Applying for a child under 16

• Passport book: $100 + acceptance fee of $35
• Passport card: $15 + acceptance fee of $35
• Passport book + card: $115 + acceptance fee of $35

You can check your fee amounts using the Fee Calculator of the US State Department.