Most countries require foreign nationals to have a passport valid for at least six (6) months prior to the date of entry. The U.S. also has similar rules for entry and also for the issuance of a visa. While many countries have agreements with the United States whereby their national’s passports must be valid for six (6) months beyond the expiration date, for U.S. visas and entry, some passports require a longer period of validity.
Vietnamese passport holders must have eight (8) months validity remaining on their passport as a condition of being issued a U.S. visa. This includes the normal six (6) months plus an additional sixty (60) days for a total of eight (8) months.
The Philippines passports must be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the intended date of entry to the United States at the time of applying for a U.S. visa.
Most Taiwan passport holders applying for a U.S. visa at the American Institute in Taiwan require passport validity of at least six (6) months. However, because Taiwanese passport holders are allowed to enter the United States visa-free for up to ninety (90) days, one may enter the United States on a Taiwanese passport with less than 6 months although they will not be permitted to remain in the United States beyond the validity of their passports.
Thailand passport holders must have at least six (6) months validity remaining on their passport beyond the intended date of travel at the time of applying for a specific visa category.
Chinese citizens holding passports from the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) must have at least six (6) months validity on their passport. PRC passport holders who are traveling to the United States under a B-1, B-2 or B-1/ B-2 visitor visa are also required to register with the Electronic Visa Update System https://www.evus.gov/.
The United States also has agreements with certain countries that waive the six (6) month validity requirement at the time of entry. Citizens of these countries can enter and stay even if their passports are close to expiring. In addition to the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, a detailed list can be found here.
If you have any U.S. visas, immigration or passport entry questions, contact us at info@enterlinepartners.com and speak with a U.S. immigration attorney in Ho Chi Minh City, Manila and Taipei.
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Copyright 2023. This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This article may be changed with or without notice. The opinions expressed in this article are those of Enterline and Partners only.
