Six month Passport rule

[DandyDon]

Basically as long as you're passport is valid upon entry, it's automatically extended up to 6 months.

No, I don't think your PP is extended. I think that as long as it's valid for your planned visit that you should be accepted, but results may vary.

The issue may be getting the airlines to board you as they don't always know these things.

Yeah, I think that's the rub as the airlines don't like fines for upsetting other governments and the Immigration officers or even having to deal with the issues.

You could contact the airlines reservation number and ask them to make a note in your reservation regarding your passport once they confirm it's validity.

Sound plan, but I have seen such notations fail.

From the Mexican Consulate site:
It is recommendable that the passports should have at least 6 months validity before expiration.
https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/detroit/index.php/servicios-para-extranjeros/visas-en-ingles

From the US Dept. of State site for Mexico:
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
Passport must be valid at time of entry.
Mexico International Travel Information

Exactly, as those conflict.

And the Six month club list, which is reciprocal and Mexico is a part of.
Six-Month Club Update | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Here is the actual link: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2017-Dec/Six-Month Club Update122017.pdf

Assuming you use passports for leisure travel from age 30 to age 85, you will buy the same number of passports, whether they’re good for 9-1/2 or 10 years.

Ah ha, yeah I'd be surprised to be alive in 9½ years and certainly not diving and international diving, so it's not a waste for me to get mine renewed with almost a year left.

I know a guy that was refused entry into Chuuk/Truk for not having six months validity, even though he had a return ticket for a week later. He says that another FSM immigration officer was pleading his case, but the decision was made by someone with higher authority or enough independence to make their own choice. If there is ambiguity, I'd just get a new passport.

Micronesia is not on the six month exception list: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2017-Dec/Six-Month Club Update122017.pdf

 

[Mattom]

No, I don't think your PP is extended. I think that as long as it's valid for your planned visit that you should be accepted, but results may vary.

Perhaps it was my phrasing. You are correct. It will be extended for the term of your stay, up to six months.

Exactly, as those conflict

Recommended but not required.

Seriously call the Mexican Consulate in your area.

Can we get President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in here to verify.

 

[ReefHound]

A printout from a government website???

What does that prove? The gate agent doesn't know if it applies in that specific situation or even if it is legitimate. As Don said, an employee is going to follow the instructions (or what they perceive them to be) of the company writing their check. It's not a bad idea to carry and might sway someone but I wouldn't rely on it.

At this point there isn't time for the friend to renew a passport so the only option is to print out something, practice your sad face, and hope you don't get an agent or officer having a bad day. He'll probably be ok, it's just not something I would want to stress over starting out a trip.

 

[spoolin01]

Cross posting this here as well.
Mexico is part of the "6 month club". It's a US program but it's reciprocal. Basically as long as you're passport is valid upon entry, it's automatically extended up to 6 months. You obviously cannot stay past the 6 months. The issue may be getting the airlines to board you as they don't always know these things. You could contact the airlines reservation number and ask them to make a note in your reservation regarding your passport once they confirm it's validity.

I also recommend you could contact the Mexican Consulate directly for guidance if there are still questions. That's one of their functions.

As for US Citizens returning to the US, an expired US passport is valid for re-entry.

From the Mexican Consulate site:
It is recommendable that the passports should have at least 6 months validity before expiration.
https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/detroit/index.php/servicios-para-extranjeros/visas-en-ingles

From the US Dept. of State site for Mexico:
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
Passport must be valid at time of entry.
Mexico International Travel Information

And the Six month club list, which is reciprocal and Mexico is a part of.
Six-Month Club Update | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're saying, or that US Club link isn't the whole story, but the 6 Month rule appears to be that the passport expiration has to be 6 months BEYOND your trip, for countries not on that list. For those on the list, your passport has to be explicitly valid for the duration of your planned trip. I don't see any mention of any extension of the stated expiration date, either formally or informally.

 

[Alan Perucho]

1) My passport expires in 50 days (Mid-October) and I just came back from Cozumel last week. No issues what so ever. (Flew back on the afternoon flight American Airlines to Dallas.)

2) In some major cities, you can get a passport renewal quickly. I have a friend who is in Turkey right now, and he got his renewal done in a week process time late last month in Los Angeles. I've used the same agency before helping out a relative and going to them again this week for my own renewal. https://samedaypassport-visa.com/

 

[chillyinCanada]

So far, I haven't run into a problem with my passport but as an aside, I have run into problems with the airport staff on my outward run because my return ticket date was well after the 30 day no visa requirement date. I was on my way to SE Asia through Singapore. Whilst I did have hotel bookings and a liveaboard in Indonesia, I had not yet purchased my onward flight from Singapore to Indonesia (because easier and cheaper to do so from Singapore).

Well, there's was a bit of a hullabaloo and some tears on my part, as the agent told me that she couldn't let me board without a Singapore long stay visa. Fortunately, a supervisor came by and calmed us both down. As I was fumbling with my phone to show the agent my liveaboard booking, the supervisor said "let her go".

From this experience, I learned to have a forward ticket, even if nothing more than a throw away bus ticket to Malaysia or a $20 flight on Scoot airline.

The agent told me that the reason she couldn't let me board was because I could get refused entry once in Singapore and it would be her airline's responsibility to fly me back to Canada.

I can't remember how many times I have flown into Singapore and they haven't ever asked me to prove that I'd be leaving within the 30 days. Regardless, it's not worth the hassle at the Canadian airport, lol

 

[Saniflush]

So far, I haven't run into a problem with my passport but as an aside, I have run into problems with the airport staff on my outward run because my return ticket date was well after the 30 day no visa requirement date. I was on my way to SE Asia through Singapore. Whilst I did have hotel bookings and a liveaboard in Indonesia, I had not yet purchased my onward flight from Singapore to Indonesia (because easier and cheaper to do so from Singapore).

Well, there's was a bit of a hullabaloo and some tears on my part, as the agent told me that she couldn't let me board without a Singapore long stay visa. Fortunately, a supervisor came by and calmed us both down. As I was fumbling with my phone to show the agent my liveaboard booking, the supervisor said "let her go".

From this experience, I learned to have a forward ticket, even if nothing more than a throw away bus ticket to Malaysia or a $20 flight on Scoot airline.

The agent told me that the reason she couldn't let me board was because I could get refused entry once in Singapore and it would be her airline's responsibility to fly me back to Canada.

I can't remember how many times I have flown into Singapore and they haven't ever asked me to prove that I'd be leaving within the 30 days. Regardless, it's not worth the hassle at the Canadian airport, lol

Note to self....Remember to bring the tears.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Note to self....Remember to bring the tears.

They might not work for you but very obvious distress works just as well, I'll bet.

 

[Saniflush]

They might not work for you but very obvious distress works just as well, I'll bet.

Never underestimate the tears of a 6'3" 50 year old

 

[chillyinCanada]

Never underestimate the tears of a 6'3" 50 year old

You can cry or not, and show distress or not, but remain polite or forget it!