6 Month Passport Validity Rule for Port of Entry CBP

My STEM-OPT got approved last week, and my passport expires next June (June 2020).

I’m going to India this December for ~3 weeks. What would be a better course of action to get my passport renewed:

1) Start the process through CKGS (either right now or after returning to the US in mid-January), or

2) Try to get it renewed during my time in India, which I believe would be too short of a window for the process to be completed?

Solution:

You need to know about the 6-month passport validity rule from CBP. Following screenshot is from this page.

If you follow the list of countries exempt from 6 month validity rule, India is included.

Since the passport is expiring in June 2020, your trip in December shouldn’t have any problem during reentry.

• You can renew it here before 6 months of the expiration date through the CKGS website for India. Easy, simple and quick.
• New Passport takes literall less than 7 days to get it for India in Washington DC Consulate General.
• Get the tatkal passport. You will get it in 3-4 business days (you may hhave to go in person)