Oh my fucking god, close shave with expired passport

[Vampirebats]

We’re travelling on holiday 14th June. Just sat out in the lovely sunshine in the garden and I was suddenly struck out of nowhere with the thought that my husbands passport must need renewal this year.

Checked and the date of issue was 14th August 2014!

It says it expires may 2025 but those extra months don’t count any more.

Online application hastily done and crossing fingers now that it comes back in time.

I still feel sick - not as sick as I would have if we’d rocked up to the airport with it 😱

yes it would have because it expires May 25

More than 3 months before expiry 👍🏻
less than 10 years since issued 👍🏻

it doesn’t need 10 years 3 months, the two different requirements are separate

Turkey seems to need 150 days validity rather than a certain number of months.

Did ours last month and it came back 7 days from the day of posting it- I couldn't believe it. Regular service, not the one week fast track! You should be absolutely fine.

Thanks for posting, I didn't know that rule about having to be within 10 years of issue when you go, I thought it was just the expiry date that was important.

Its only EU countries it relates to. Prior to 2018 you could get extra months added to your passport if you renewed your old one early so some passports could be valid for up to 10y 9m. Since Brexit those extra months don't count when entering the EU so on the date you enter the other country your passport needs to be under 10 years old.

E.g. issue date is 20th September 2017 but expiry date is 20th December 2027. You could only enter the EU up until 20th September 2027 as that's 10 years from the issue date.

@dementedpixie thanks, useful to know!

Can people not count

There only 2 months left from

June - July - august

1. 1. 2

This has been on the news constantly

I mean constantly for the last few years

Holiday is June 14

There is one month from June to July 14

One month from July to august 14

This means there is only 2 months left on passport from when they travel

2 months !!!

Why do PP think it's 3

FFS it's basic maths people

Can people not read?

it expires in May 2025

The issue date is within 10 years of when they travel so the old one woudl,have been fine to go with.

Does anyone know why the expiry date is actually not the expiry date?! Why do people have to do all this maths to work out whether their passport is valid?! Imagine how easy it would be if you could just…use your passport up until the date it says it expires?!? 😲

@Peanutsalty cool, glad it has been well advertised. I obviously missed it so am glad to know now.

This article explains it well https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/eu-passport-renewal-expiry-rules-uk-aRaVG6j5PpyJ

The expiry is May 2025 which is much more than 3 months after the date of leaving the EU. You only look at the issue date when entering the EU as thats when it needs to be under 10 years old. When leaving the EU you go by the actual expiry date.

The 2 requirements are independent of each other

Because the UK used to add extra months from the old passport if it was renewed early making the passport valid for more than 10 years (up to 10y 9m). EU specifies a passport needs to be under 10 years old when you travel there so those extra months are no longer recognised.

You need to brush up on your comprehension skills as its been explained a couple of times that you go by the actual expiry date when leaving the EU. The 10 year rule only applies on the date you enter the EU.

Ironic that you’re quite so up on your high horse when you’ve unfortunately failed to grasp the point being made!

FFS it’s basic comprehension people 😁

This happened to us last year (husbands passport as well) but we got it done in time. It was quick.

My close shave involved a holiday in Northern Ireland last year. We had deliberately chosen N Ireland because I know my 16-year-old son's passport had expired. I checked with the carrier and it said that children did not need passports.
ON THE DAY BEFORE WE LEFT! I read the T&Cs and discovered to my horror that EasyJet consider anyone over 16 an adult, so my son needed a passport. Nightmare.
I knew my very nervy possibly SEN son would be ill at the thought of this and I knew my DH would not be able to keep the secret, so I carried it all myself.
I checked the ferry times and route to the port, so we had a Plan B if necessary.
THEY NEVER CHECKED. I couldn't believe it. I had his expired passport and his birth certificate and was going to try to argue the case if needed, who knows if I would have been successful or not. To make matters worse, the flight was delayed by 3 hours.
Once we got through the airport at Belfast, I figured we would have more potential issues entering Northern Ireland than leaving it, so I calmed down a little bit.
It was only when we got back into our car at the end of the holiday, safely through the airport, that I confessed.

You will be fine, when we renewed DS passport it took about 8 days. Enjoy your holiday.

Can people not read?

it expires in May 2025

The issue date is within 10 years of when they travel so the old one woudl,have been fine to go with.

No it would NOT have been fine because it was issued on the 14th August 2014 and ten years from that date is 14th August 2024, the extra months added are irrelevant, they are NOT counted for travel in the EU therefore he would not have had the required validity for travel.

Well spotted and well done for renewing it @Vampirebats .

@dementedpixie is right. You have to look at both the issue date and the expiry date. It is a two stage process.

This link explains it. Please note I have only posted the link for Greece. You will need to go to the gov.uk website and search each country's requirements.

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

Yep I agree the extra months aren’t valid, the 10 years are from the start date not the expiry date.

Only for entry to the EU
You go by the actual expiry for leaving the EU