Passport requirements

The six-month validity rule

The standard expectation is that your passport remains valid for six months after the date you plan to leave the United States. This gives a buffer in case your trip runs longer than planned. US citizens are not subject to this rule and may re-enter up to the actual expiry date on their passport.

Importantly, a long list of countries has a reciprocal agreement with the US that waives the six-month buffer — their citizens need a passport valid only for the actual period of intended stay. CBP maintains and periodically updates this list (informally the "Six-Month Club"), so check the current bulletin for your nationality rather than assuming.

• General rule: passport valid for six months beyond your intended stay.
• Country-specific exemptions reduce this to validity for the stay itself.
• US citizens are exempt; validity to the expiry date is enough.
• The exemption list changes over time — confirm on the current CBP bulletin.

The e-passport rule for the Visa Waiver Program

Since 1 April 2016, everyone travelling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) with an ESTA must hold an electronic passport. An e-passport has an embedded chip storing the holder's biometric data and is marked with the international e-passport symbol on the cover. It must also have a machine-readable zone on the photo page.

If your passport is not an e-passport, you cannot use the VWP — but you may still travel to the US with a valid nonimmigrant visa obtained from an embassy or consulate instead. If you get a new passport, you must submit a new ESTA application, because ESTA is tied to a specific passport.

• e-passport with a biometric chip is mandatory for VWP/ESTA travel.
• The passport must also be machine-readable.
• No e-passport? Apply for a visa instead of using the VWP.
• A new passport requires a new ESTA application.

Passport condition and blank pages

Beyond validity dates, your passport must be undamaged and genuine. A passport that is torn, water-damaged, has a detached cover, or shows signs of tampering can be rejected by an airline or border officer. You should also carry a passport with at least one or two blank pages available for any visa foil or admission stamp.

If your passport is close to expiry, damaged, or nearly full, renew it before you apply for a visa or travel — a new booklet avoids problems and, for VWP travellers, ensures the e-passport requirement is met.

Your passport in the application process

When you apply for a nonimmigrant visa you enter your passport details on the DS-160 and present the physical passport at your interview; immigrant visa applicants use the DS-260. A visa is placed as a foil inside the passport, so the passport number on your visa must match the passport you travel with.

If you renew your passport after receiving a visa, the visa in the old (cancelled) passport can generally still be used as long as you carry both the old and new passports together and the visa is unexpired and undamaged. Confirm this in advance, as rules and officer discretion apply.

At the port of entry

Holding a valid passport and visa does not by itself guarantee entry. A CBP officer makes the admission decision, inspects your passport, and records your admission on the electronic I-94. Ensure your passport is the same one linked to your visa or ESTA, and that it satisfies the validity rule for your nationality.

Airlines independently check passports before boarding and may apply the six-month rule strictly to avoid carrier penalties, even for exempt nationalities — so a comfortably valid passport reduces the risk of being denied boarding.