6 Things To Remember About Passports

For my daughter’s 4^th birthday we took her to Legoland. While we were there, she received a small souvenir book where she could stamp each page after we visited each section. It reminded me a lot of passports. You travel to different destinations and receive stamps to prove you visited there. However, unlike my daughters Legoland book, passports are very important. Keep your travel plans safe and secure by remembering these 6 things about passports.

1. Don’t Smile.

   Passport photos should have a neutral expression on your face and a white background. Even if you’re allowed to smile for passport pictures, it is advised to decline. Otherwise you could have some issues during your international travels.

2. Keep Up to Date.

   Be aware of your travel restrictions and when you need to renew. Sometimes you may not realize you have restrictions for traveling. However, if your passport has six months or less before it expires, some countries will not let you travel.

3. Names Are Important.

   No matter what the reason is for a name change, you have to get your new name on your passport. Otherwise you can (and most likely will) experience problems while traveling.

4. Keep It Safe and Secure.

   Even minor damage can cause serious problems. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tear, liquid spilled, ink smudges, or something else, even slight damage can cancel your travel plans.

5. More Space.

   Some people are frequent travelers and may run out of pages in their passport. There are two options for this. Depending upon the country you are from, you may be able to purchase a passport that has additional pages. However, if it isn’t offered or you run out of pages in your current passport, you will need to apply for a new one before you can travel further.

6. Make Sure to Always Travel with a Photocopy of Your Passport.

   This will also make your situation extremely easier should you have any issues with a lost passport.