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In several questions, I read that there are additional validity restrictions for the passport if you visit a foreign country: e. g., a country requires that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure.
This restriction seems to be imposed by many countries.
What is the background of this requirement? I mean, a valid passport is a valid passport. And as long as my passport is valid, it should be fine, shouldn't it?
When you come to visit a country, they want to be sure that you can leave again. And if you don't want to leave, they want to be sure that they can send you away.
If you have a valid passport, they can send you home more easily. So they want a passport validity for your intended duration of stay, plus some extra. You might get hospitalized, or a volcano disrupts air travel, or whatever. So they tack on some extra time.
