Second US Passports are now valid for four years! Here’s how I know.

I had been putting off getting a second US Passport for the last year because of rumors that the validity time was going to increase from two years to something more than two years, and since most countries require you passport to be valid for at least six months upon entry, a two year passport is really only good for a year and a half. That’s not very long. While it surely would have made getting visas a little less hectic, I held out.

But this year I couldn’t put it off any longer. No matter how I swung it, I wasn’t going to be able to take the trips I had planned and apply for all of the necessary visas without a second passport. It was time to suck it up and just do it.

Needing to apply for visas while traveling or apply for multiple visas at the same time is one reason to consider getting a second passport. The other is if you are traveling to politically sensitive countries. For example, having an Israeli stamp in your passport could prevent you from being allowed to enter some Middle Eastern countries. In recent months, Israel has not been putting permanent stamps in passports to help with this issue, but there’s no saying when it could return or when it could apply to other countries.

My passport just returned from the Department of State today with four year validity! The State Department didn’t make any announcements about these changes, they just implemented them, but it’s a big deal for frequent travelers out there.

I used Allied Passport and Visa to apply for my second passport and have nothing but good things to say about them! I’ve also applied for multiple visas through Allied Passport and Visa in the past. They will go out of their way to make sure you are kept up to date. I highly recommend them. If you would like to apply for a passport or visa through them, mention this blog and receive $5 off your order! If you do use their services, make sure not to send your passport via USPS, as I have had trouble with them! FedEx is probably your best bet.

It’s exciting news that second passports are now valid for four years! I was hoping that they would be valid for 10, and still hope that they will be at some point, but four years is a great move in the right direction!

Disclosure: I have business relationships with businesses mentioned in this post. All opinions are my own.