Its the summer travel season for many, and often families travel out of the country. In the rush to get everything arranged, sometimes things fall through the cracks. But mistakes can be costly….and even ruin an otherwise well-planned vacation.
For citizens of many countries , all children must present a valid passport for international air travel. This rule applies regardless of age, including infants and newborns.
A slight exception exists for citizens of the U.S.: if you’re traveling to Canada, minors 15 and younger may cross land or sea borders without a passport, but a certified copy of a birth certificate is necessary. But we suggest you get them a passport anyway. Most are good for five years and if any chances to travel come up, then you are prepared instead of having to wait weeks for a passport.
In almost 100% of the cases, if they do not have a passport they will not be allowed to board the plane for an international flight. The airline faces heavy fines for failure to follow this rule, so don’t bother asking them to break it…they won’t. So you can just get back in the car and drive home from the airport.
And don’t forget, if you are going on a cruise, the same requirements may be in effect if you are making a stop in any foreign country. It is best to just go ahead and get the passport.
There are a few other examples of passport problems that can crop up…….as we have outlined here. We suggest you check that article out.
