passport issue prevents tour--agent's responsibilites?

M

macincal

New Member
Jurisdiction
Arizona
I recently purchased a tour to Peru for the end of September.
The tour agent selling the tour sent tour materials stating that only a valid passport was required for a US citizen to enter Peru, and no visa was required.
I have discovered that a valid passport is required, and in addition, it must have an additional 6 months validity before you can enter the country. This was never stated in the material from the agent. I have sent my passport in for expedited renewal, etc., but I do not believe 7 weeks is long enough to get it renewed.
What are my options?
 
macincal said:
I recently purchased a tour to Peru for the end of September.
The tour agent selling the tour sent tour materials stating that only a valid passport was required for a US citizen to enter Peru, and no visa was required.
I have discovered that a valid passport is required, and in addition, it must have an additional 6 months validity before you can enter the country.
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That is a pretty common requirement any more for travel to a lot a of countries, though the actual time left on the passport that is required can vary. So if you plan to do international travel going forward, you need to make sure that your passport has at least a year left before it expires, based on your exit date from the country.

macincal said:
This was never stated in the material from the agent. I have sent my passport in for expedited renewal, etc., but I do not believe 7 weeks is long enough to get it renewed.
What are my options?
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There are ways that you could have gotten it renewed much faster, though that involves actually traveling to one of several main passport centers in the US. If you are unable to get it renewed in time for your trip, then whether you can get a refund for the trip will depend on the terms and conditions of the package you purchased.
 
This is a requirement for just about every country in the world. You're not likely any claim against the tour operator. I can almost guarantee that your agreement was weasel-worded that obtaining the necessary travel documents was your responsibility.
 
TM, the agency appointments are only available for those with immediate travel plans (within 72 hours). State has tightened up the hand-carried processing system to the point of it being near disfunctional,
 
flyingron said:
TM, the agency appointments are only available for those with immediate travel plans (within 72 hours). State has tightened up the hand-carried processing system to the point of it being near disfunctional,
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While difficult, that option still does exist should the OP want to explore it. I've had relatives use that to good effect, though that was prior to covid-19.
 
The tour was booked with a specialized nature tourism company directly, so no outside travel agents are ever involved. Does the company have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about the area to which the traveler is going, including documents needed to travel? This is a tour which they have offered several times before.
 
Tax Counsel said:
While difficult, that option still does exist should the OP want to explore it. I've had relatives use that to good effect, though that was prior to covid-19.
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Again, it is a completely different world since COVID. The handwalking stuff is gone. The agency appointments are severely restricted. The online booking of appointments is gone which makes even TRYING to get an appointment very difficult.
 
macincal said:
The tour was booked with a specialized nature tourism company directly, so no outside travel agents are ever involved. Does the company have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about the area to which the traveler is going, including documents needed to travel? This is a tour which they have offered several times before.
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It depends on the terms of your contract.
 
macincal said:
The tour was booked with a specialized nature tourism company directly, so no outside travel agents are ever involved. Does the company have a responsibility to be knowledgeable about the area to which the traveler is going, including documents needed to travel? This is a tour which they have offered several times before.
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Typically travel agents have no affirmative obligation to advise you of passport and visa requirements. It is the traveler's responsibility to make sure he or she has the travel documents needed. In addition, most travel agent and tour contracts I've seen expressly disclaim any responsibility for this just to make sure that you are on notice that it's your job to do it. Read your contract and see what it says about this, if anything.
 
flyingron said:
Again, it is a completely different world since COVID. The handwalking stuff is gone. The agency appointments are severely restricted. The online booking of appointments is gone which makes even TRYING to get an appointment very difficult.
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Again, though, it may be possible (while difficult, as you say) to do it should the OP wish to try. That's all I'm pointing out. What success the OP may have trying it, I cannot say. But if the option is potentially losing out the fee paid for the trip, the OP may want to at least look into it if the expedited renewal does not come through in time.
 
Never trust the seller to be truthful.

The buyer must verify and validate EVERYTHING before shelling out any cash!!!
 
army judge said:
Never trust the seller to be truthful.

The buyer must verify and validate EVERYTHING before shelling out any cash!!!
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Both are true, but I'm not convinced that the seller was not truthful in this matter...
 
Zigner said:
Both are true, but I'm not convinced that the seller was not truthful in this matter...
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If that is your belief, continue to espoused it, mate.

My position remains the I never trust the seller's representations.

I trust myself with verifying each and every tout.
 
army judge said:
If that is your belief, continue to espoused it, mate.

My position remains the I never trust the seller's representations.

I trust myself with verifying each and every tout.
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I'm not disagreeing with you at all. I'm not suggesting that the OP shouldn't have checked further. I just don't think that the seller was untruthful. Maybe the information wasn't complete...I'll grant that :)
 
Zigner said:
I'm not disagreeing with you at all. I'm not suggesting that the OP shouldn't have checked further. I just don't think that the seller was untruthful. Maybe the information wasn't complete...I'll grant that :)
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Never be eager when you're expected to shell out your cash.

Haste makes waste.

Before making any major purchase, SLOW your roll.
Take solace in knowing, even if the widget was sold to another, your loot remains intact.
 

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