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There’s nothing worse than heading to the airport, ready to take off on your flight and enjoy your vacation, only to be denied the ability to board because you didn’t follow certain important rules.
Yana Biryukova, a Dallas-based international flight attendant, took to social media to share an important travel PSA with fliers that “happens every single day,” she said in a TikTok video.
Biryukova captioned her video, “Did you know this common daily mistake people make to be denied boarding their dream vacation? Some countries have specific passport requirements [and] will NOT let you in.”
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Her answers had many users commenting that they were rushing to check their passports to make sure they didn’t find themselves in this nightmarish scenario.
“If you’re traveling internationally, look at the date of expiration on your passport and make sure it’s valid for at least six months,” Biryukova said in her video.
By some countries’ requirements, if you do not follow these important travel rules, you will not be allowed to board your flight. (iStock)
“If it expires in five months and 29 days, they will not let you on the plane. And you see all these pages in the back? Make sure you have at least four empty pages so you can get back home. Do not make this mistake.”
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She said no matter the circumstances surrounding your travel — wedding, birthday, dream vacation — some countries will not let you in.
Fox News Digital reached out to Biryukova for comment.
Social media users jumped in on the conversation, filling the comments section with their concerns and personal experiences.
Grab your passport and make sure you have six months left before your passport expires. Also, check that you have four blank pages left for stamps, according to a flight attendant. (iStock)
“Running to check that my passport has enough blank pages,” one user commented.
The person then replied again, “OMG, IT DOESN’T, WOW. I think you actually just saved me. It literally only has 2 OPEN.”
Another TikTok user said, “[It’s] one of the things I look for as a counter/gate agent when checking people in for a flight.”
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Another user wrote, “It happened to my mom — she was denied entry because her passport was expiring in less than 6 months. Good thing she has dual citizenship. Her 2nd passport was due [for] renewal in about 2 years.”
While some people said they knew about the expiration rule, many appeared shocked to find out about the four-page rule.
Social media users chimed in on the video, noting their family members had experienced this vacation-ruining mistake. (iStock)
Experts in the travel business know all about these important requirements, but the average person may not be as aware.
When she preps her clients for travel, “many of them tell me they had ‘no idea’ there were strict rules when it comes to passports,” Sara Russell, travel adviser for Travelmation, a Florida-based travel agency, told Fox News Digital.
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“For many travelers, it can be hard to keep up with the requirements since expiration dates and number of pages needed in a passport book are country-dependent.”
She said she considers it a “general rule” to make sure a passport has a minimum of six months of validity past its official return date.
A “general rule” is to make sure your passport has a minimum of six months of validity past your return date, according to a travel expert. (iStock)
Russell also noted that the four-page rule exists to make sure you have enough space in your book for all the stamps you’ll acquire on your trip.
There are some rules that only some countries follow, so it’s important to research that information before heading to the airport.
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You can search for the country you’ll be visiting on the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website.
“If you don’t follow the requirements, you will be sent home.”
There, you can look up all the requirements that need to be met to reach your desired destination.
“Do not take this lightly,” said Russell. “If you don’t follow the requirements, you will be sent home.
“Unfortunately, many travelers are not aware of passport requirements and have to cancel plans or may even arrive at the airport and be denied boarding.”
Follow these important requirements next time you take out your passport, or you might be sent home. (iStock)
To avoid this vacation-ending mistake, Russell said she encourages travelers to check their passports even before planning their next vacation.
She also noted that the amount of time between renewals depends on the age of the individual. Children under 16 must renew every five years, but for those over the age of 16, it’s every 10 years.
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“For a seamless travel experience, I recommend that the renewal process be started at least one year before a passport expires to ensure you get your new book in time and can enjoy your vacation without any hiccups,” she said.
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“It has never been easier to update your U.S. passport with the online renewal process that became available in September 2024.”
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