Do you really need six months validity on a passport?

[ReginaGeorgeous]

Just that really. We are due to travel to France in March and the Canaries in April. DD's passport expires in June.

I've had a look at the foreign office website and it's unclear what the passport requirements are as it says you don't "need" any extra time beyond the duration of your stay, but then goes on to say that adult and child passports "should" have a minimum of six months.

As they've stopped adding any unused time onto new passports I'd rather not renew a passport that doesn't run out for another six months, especially as a kids one is only for five years anyway. But obviously, I don't want us to be denied entry to the countries we intend to visit.

So has anyone had any experience of travelling with under six months on your passport? Did it cause an issue or was it fine as long as your passport is in date?

I am assuming brexit isn't an issue as we will be in the transition period until the end of the year.

FCO says for France - currently -

Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you don’t need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this.

I imagine Spain/Canaries will be the same

Yes, same for Canaries.

Travel is going to be such a PITA after Brexit

The bit about 6 months validity applies if we have a no deal brexit. Otherwise at the moment it needs to be valid for your travel dates

Yes

(The extra 6 months bit is the after Brexit rule - and it’s the last 6 months of the 10 years since issue date, not the actual passport expiry date, so if you renewed with 9 months left you’ll have to renew again 8 years 9 months after issue date in order to get a clear 6 months )

We were all turned away a couple of years ago by BA from a long-haul flight because DS's passport (age 5) had 6 months and 2 weeks left, and would have been one day under 6 months by the time we flew home.

I wouldn't risk it if it's unclear, as the wheels of officialdom tend to take the most conservative/inflexible view on these things since they're the ones that get in trouble if they let someone on the plane that then can't enter the country.

Some countries need 6 months validity already. If you are travelling within europe at the moment then you dont need 6 months.

I don't understand why the six month rule exists. If you get stuck somewhere because you are ill surely special arrangements could be made. I would have thought that something like six weeks would be sufficient.

I had to renew my passport early last year in preparation for a March no deal Brexit as I'd renewed it early. And then I didn't use it until a week or so ago so I could have waited.

My DS's runs out in September, we go to Spain in May. I'm getting him a new passport as I really don't want to risk it for the sake of a few months.

I don't understand the rule either, surely your passport should be valid, or not.

I don’t think we’re meant to understand, we’re just meant to comply and pay up.

Personally we didn't feel it was worth taking the risk so we renewed DS's passport as it would have expired 5.5 months after our return journey.

Try it and see

It's usually okay under 6 months within Europe but not outside (or places where you need a visa)

I don't understand the rule either, surely your passport should be valid, or not.

If, for some reason, you were forced to extend your stay abroad beyond the expiry date of your passport, you would be in a foreign country without a valid passport.

This says Spain doesn't need the extra 6 months now but will if there is a no-deal brexit. There won't be a no deal brexit before march or April so you should be okay.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements

Sorry, forgot the link!

I went to finland in December with less than 6 months and it was fine. But that was pre Brexit.

I flew with a few days validity on my passport, and no return ticket, within the EU. But that was before Brexit reared its head.
I would reassess after Brexit and not risk it if things are still messed up.

If we Brexit at the end of the month then yes you'll need the 6 months. I live abroad and was advised this by the ambassador. Thus I've had to send mine off for renewal when it doesn't actually expire until autumn, which is mildly irritating!

I wouldn't risk it OP.

The FCO thing says 6 months if no-deal Brexit, but I agree it’s not worth risking it

FWIW I have American friends who were not allowed onto Eurostar from London to Paris because one of their children had less than 6 months left on his passport. So it is a thing, but I would have thought before Brexit you're OK?

It is a thing depending on nationality and destination. gov.uk isn't clear but Eurotunnel seem to think that six months validity will be needed after Jan 31. ABTA thinks that only applies if there is a no-deal. Highways England don't seem to think there will be a no-deal on Jan 31..

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/15/30m-no-deal-brexit-scheme-dismantled-on-roads-to-dover

Of course it wouldn't matter if the UK government hadn't quietly changed the renewal situation, discouraging early renewals.

I think the end of the early renewal might have been aligning with other countries? I vaguely remember reading that somewhere.