Guest Opinion: Travelers: Check Your Passports!
Here’s What You Can Do If Your Document Is Expired
By Congresswoman Diana DeGette
For the GPHN
As the weather cools, many of us are looking ahead to our plans for the upcoming holiday season, which may include travel with our family and friends. These trips afford us an opportunity to spend valuable time with loved ones, visit new places, and learn.
But first, check your passport! If you discover that it’s expired (or about to expire), you may be in for some harrowing moments. But, you may still be able to make your trip.
Earlier this year, the Borris family painstakingly planned the trip of a lifetime to Cayman Brac for a week of SCUBA diving. Michael Borris, who lives with a spinal cord injury, was excited to experience open water diving with Denver Adaptive Divers. They were all set to go — or so they thought. Close to their departure date, the family realized their passports were expired and would need to be updated before they left — or else their trip would have to be canceled.
This nerve-racking situation is more common than you might expect. And, it is not always the fault of the traveler. Post-COVID, many countries have new requirements about how long your passport must be valid even after visiting. So even if your passport is good until January, thanks to these new requirements, you may hit speed bumps if you’re traveling abroad now.
The best thing to do if you’re planning a trip out of the country in the next year: Check your passport now to ensure it’s valid for at least six months after your trip ends. And, double-check the requirements for the country you’re visiting. Take these steps as early as possible to ensure smooth sailing.
Every day, my office works with travelers who are scheduled to depart soon and have just realized their passport is expired. Thankfully, I have staff standing by who can work with the State Department. Oftentimes we’re able to rush delivery of a last-minute passport. But it’s far better to ensure you’re good to go far in advance, rather than taking the risk of being too late.
If you’re wondering what happened with the Borris family, I’m happy to share that they were able to make their trip. Michael was awarded his Classified Open Water Diver and Nitrox certification. I can’t guarantee that our fast work always delivers these types of rewarding results, but we do our very best.
If you do find yourself in need of a last-minute passport renewal, or if you need some help with another federal agency, call my office at 303-844-4988, or visit my website at DeGette.House.Gov. You can also contact me by phone or using my website to share your opinion on a particular policy, to request a tour of the U.S. Capitol, and more.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. In the meantime, I’m wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season, and safe and stress-free travels — always.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette represents Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Park Hill and Denver.