It may still be cold and gloomy outside in many parts of the country, but make no mistake: spring is coming! That means it’s time to start planning for Spring Break. And if your Spring Break plans are taking you outside of the country, you may need to get a passport.
To help you with your travel plans, here are the passport requirements for some of the more popular spring break travel destinations:
Mexico
Warm blue water, gorgeous beaches and margaritas galore-what more could you want in a spring break destination? You probably need to get a passport before you can go party in Cancun, though. For more details, see:
Do You Need a Passport to Go to Mexico?
US Citizens Visiting Mexico Face New Passport Requirements
Canada
If you prefer skiing and other winter sports to lazing around on the beach, Canada has some excellent ski resorts. Most trips to Canada will require a passport. For details of Canada’s passport requirements, see Do You Need a Passport to Go to Canada?
Europe
If you have the funds, springtime is one of the best times to visit Europe. The weather is nice, and because “high season” for travel to most European destinations is in the summer, visiting Europe in the spring means you get lower prices and fewer crowds.
Travel to Europe always and without exception requires a US passport.
The Caribbean
The Caribbean is another great place to go for a laid-back vacation filled with sun and sand. However, most Caribbean travelers will need to get a passport before they leave. For details, see:
Do You Need a Passport to Go to the Caribbean?
Cruises
A spring break cruise allows you to easily visit many different destinations for a great price. Passport requirements for cruises depend on where you go. For more details, see:
Do You Need a Passport to Go On a Cruise?
If you need to get a passport for Spring Break, you’d better hurry-you don’t have much time. Regular passport processing can take at least 6 weeks. The government’s expedited processing option takes 2 to 3 weeks and costs an additional $60 plus overnight delivery fees.
If you need to get a passport sooner than that, the most convenient way is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. An expediting company will deliver your documents to directly to the Department of State, for processing times as low as 24 hours.