Ladies and Gentlemen,

Check the expiration date of your passport. It should be valid for at least 6 months past the date of your return from any overseas trip you have planned.

Also check to see how many blank visa pages you have. Depending on your itinerary, you should probably have a minimum of 4 or 5 blank visa pages. [I understand RSA is now using 2 full visa pages, ZIM uses one full page and the US uses a small reentry stamp, but they will need one page. I am headed through London, so I will need at least one, maybe two pages there. So I figure I need at least 6 pages to be on the safe side].

Go here Passport if you need to add visa pages. (Thanks to Steve for this tip).

Regards,

Terry

P.S.
Go here Renewal if you need to renew your passport.

Great tip Terry!

Cheers,
Canuck

Terry,

No Problem.

All,

On the visa pages, I was told by the Delta/SAA ticket agent that if I didn't have enough pages I would be denied boarding to go to RSA. Luckily I had 2 (maybe 3) blank pages. I'd checked prior to leaving that I had enough.

It would have REALLY upset me if I'd not gotten to go and had to chase down new pages!

So check those pages and go to that link if you need more. It takes a several weeks to get your passport back so plan ahead.

-Steve

Thanks, Terry. Mine has several years to go, but I bookmarked the page for future reference.

This is covered in the Tips and Packing List which is always good to look at (even if you have been before), just so you don't forget something.

Regards,

Terry

Don't tell me you are packing already.

quote:

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Originally posted by Will:
Don't tell me you are packing already.

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I will probably pre-pack some time later this week.

Regards,

Terry

FYI- if any of you ever find yourselves in a passport jam remember that if you are within driving distance of an office you can normally get things done overnight. used to be same day but they changed a few years back and make you wait. but you need to have a copy of your itenerary with you showing how urgent it is etc. expedited fees apply but sometimes worth it.

My uncle is leaving next week to AUS. then to Philippines from there and had to get new passport because close to expire and was out of pages. He was starting to get worried because it just came back from the Philippine consulate with the Visa yesterday. nothing like cutting it short.

Red