Few feelings compare to the excitement of embarking on a big international trip. After months of researching and booking an itinerary, the time for the adventure finally arrives.
But that joy quickly disappears if you can’t actually get to your destination. We’ve all heard passport horror stories ― surprise requirements, forgotten name changes, denied boarding, issues at the border, etc.
To help you avoid this fate, we asked experts to break down the most common passport mistakes and how to keep these issues from ruining your vacation.
Assuming you’re good to go as long as your passport hasn’t expired.
“One of the biggest mistakes we hear about time and again is not understanding when someone should actually be renewing their passport,” Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for the Going travel app, told HuffPost. “Many people assume that if they have a month or so left before the expiration date, they can still travel the world, but in most cases, they cannot.”
Most countries require that your passport be valid for a certain duration beyond the dates of your trip. The length is usually three or six months, though there are outliers, but either way, you’ll want to make sure yours is good to go.
“The best advice is to check well in advance of your trip to ensure you can enter the country you intend to fly to so you don’t get turned away upon arrival or worse, denied boarding the flight over altogether,” Nastro added.
Trying to travel with insufficient blank passport pages.
“A rule that many travelers miss is needing an adequate number of blank pages in their passport,” said David Alwadish, the founder and CEO of the passport and visa concierge service ItsEasy.com. “Some countries require these for stamps or visas. Travelers should check their destination’s rules and ensure they have enough blank pages before traveling.”
The requirements vary, but lots of popular destinations call for one or two empty pages. Some even require three, so experts advise making sure you have at least four blank pages, especially if you’re an avid traveler with a passport that’s close to expiring. Remember that even just one stamp means a page is not blank.
“If you’re looking to travel internationally in 2025 or are toying with the idea of international travel in the next few years, send your passport in now,” Nastro advised. “Just as driving a car requires a license, a passport is a non-negotiable for international travel. Do your future globetrotting self a favor and take care of it even without any trips planned.”
Forgetting about a name change.
“The passport could also have the wrong last name ― for example, if you forgot to change your name when you got married and it still has the maiden name, or you got divorced recently,” Alwadish said.
It’s understandable that this might happen. After all, big life changes like planning a wedding or dealing with the end of a marriage consume a lot of time and energy.
But try to carve out a little time to confirm your name change is accurately reflected on all necessary documents. Otherwise, you might face some issues at the airport or international borders.
Attempting to use a damaged passport.
“You should make sure your passport isn’t damaged, in which case they’ll turn you away,” Alwadish noted.
The U.S. Department of State notes that travelers should replace their passports in the case of water damage, torn-out pages, “a significant tear,” unauthorized markings on the personal information page or a hole punch. Normal “wear and tear” like a bend in the book or fanning of pages after regular use is fine, however.
So, if your dog chewed up your passport or your child scribbled all over the data page, you’ll need to submit the damaged book, along with a signed statement explaining the condition and the typical passport application paperwork, to the State Department to get a new one.
Not having the requisite visas or ETAs.
“Understand whether or not you need visas or electronic travel authorizations, and how long those are valid for,” Nastro advised. “I used to travel to Australia quite frequently, and one time I almost forgot my ETA to enter and had to scramble to apply and hope it made it within the hour of boarding my flight. Luckily it did, but trust me ― you don’t want to play that game!”
Many countries require international visitors from visa-exempt countries to apply for these special authorizations, which usually involve paying a small fee. Earlier this month, the United Kingdom implemented a new ETA with a fee of 10 pounds. The European Union is reportedly planning a similar measure.
Applying for a new passport without the proper materials.
The process of applying for a passport comes with many opportunities to mess up, and plenty of people do. Forgetting to send in your old passport, missing key fields in the application, presenting an inconsistent signature, using the wrong ink color, submitting an incorrect check and overlooking a name change are just some examples.
“Incorrect information may seem minor, but it’s a major stumbling block causing weekslong delays,” Alwadish noted. “Make sure to review all the information provided in your application with a fine-tooth comb.”
People also commonly submit photos that do not meet the specific requirements set by the State Department.
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“The list of the parameters must be followed,” Alwadish said, noting that common reasons for photo issues include “head size was too large or small, person was not looking at the camera, photo was of poor quality, photo was not taken within last 6 months, photo was digitally altered or filtered, person had squinted or closed eyes, person was wearing eyeglasses, or person wore a head covering without attesting to religious reasons.”