Sorry for the second post, sometimes the fingers are faster than the brain :)

If you are scratching your head in wonder over the 6 month rule on passport expiration - once you enter a country you are legally allowed to stay a certain number of months (6 seems a common number) as a vistor. Even though you may have a plane ticket home before the 6 months are up, you could always change your mind and stay longer, so your passport must be valid for as long as you are legally allowed to stay in that country.

Michele Oakland, CA