Help CenterAMIGOS’ official policy is that volunteers must travel with a passport that is valid at least 6 months past their return date to their home country. The Admissions Team reviews all volunteer passports and their expiration dates during our Paperwork Review. If the Admissions Team finds that a volunteer has submitted an expired or expiring passport to us, we will reach out and explain that we require volunteers to travel on a passport that is valid 6 months past their return date and that families should begin the renewal process ASAP.
The reason AMIGOS holds this policy is because it is standard practice in international travel and immigration. Often, passengers will not be allowed to board their plane or enter the country if their passport is not valid for this period.
For volunteers traveling to Costa Rica or Panama, if their family does not wish to renew their volunteer’s passport but it does meet the country’s passport validity requirements, AMIGOS staff must gather written confirmation that the family understands that if an issue arises upon attempted entry into Latin America or at the airport in the US, AMIGOS accepts no responsibility.
Additionally, AMIGOS requires all volunteers to have received their valid passport 7 days ahead of their project start date. If they still do not have their passport at this time, we are not able to accommodate them on the project as we must confirm final volunteer count with providers and host families one week ahead of project start. If space allows, volunteers may be able to switch to a later project, but would be responsible for covering all costs associated with this change (flight change, adjustment to lodging reservation, etc.)
Because of this requirement and the time it takes for passports to be processed with the State Department (8-10 weeks), we urge volunteers to start the process for applying for or renewing a passport as soon as they apply to AMIGOS.
Should families have any questions about their volunteer’s passport & its validity, they should contact the Admissions Team, admissions@amigosinternational.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a volunteer need a passport to participate in AMIGOS programs? How long should it be valid for?
- For United States citizens, it is AMIGOS policy that all volunteers hold a passport that is valid for six months after the date of their return to the United States from their AMIGOS projects. Countries differ in their requirements for passport validity in order to enter that country. A six month validity requirement follows the most strict of the current requirements and allows for flexibility in project selection. For example, the country of Ecuador requires passports to be valid for six months past your return date. If you attempt to check in for a flight to Ecuador with a passport that does not meet this requirement by even one day, you will be denied boarding.
A volunteer doesn't have a valid passport. What should they do?
- If you are traveling with AMIGOS and do not have a valid passport, please apply for or renew your passport as soon as possible. The routine passport application or renewal process takes about 12 weeks, and it can take some time to schedule an appointment near you. You can also choose to expedite your passport in order to receive it in 8-10 weeks for an additional fee.
A volunteer's passport has expired or is expiring. Should they upload that passport to their AMIGOS Dashboard?
- If a volunteer has a photo of their expired/expiring passport, they should still complete their Passport and Travel Information form on their AMIGOS Dashboard as the AMIGOS team can move forward with the booking process using this information. They should begin the renewal process ASAP & on the form, they should respond affirmatively to the question that their passport is expiring so our team can follow up to collect your updated passport information.