To be upset for these families turned back at the airport

[TarasHarp55]

I've just read about another family turned back at the airport because some of the passports weren't valid anymore. I know it's their fault that they hadn't realised they now needed six months more than their expiry but hell we're all human we make mistakes.

This was a family with little children all excited for their holiday, months of saving and preparation. I'd have been tempted to turn a blind eye. I don't think I could bear to refuse them., and hopefully not get into trouble for it. Anyone else feel like this?

I lived outside Europe for years, so was always aware of the 6 months thing and assume that’s why passports are valid for 10 years + 6 months. Was never a problem in Europe before, but now rules have changed and, sadly for those affected, they are not the kind of rules that can be waived.

It's been widely publicised since January 2021, many column inches dedicated to it and every holiday company is highlighting it. But this isn't new, every year there's stories of out of date passports. It's not rocket science

No we haven't (many allowed travel until the day of expiry and som none EU countries still do. But some airlines and customs have been turning back people who meet the new rules.

I accept that they were being irresponsible but I feel as if there's no empathy any more. Rules are rules and there's no compassion.

But yes i realise that even if they did get through because someone turned a blind eye, it probably wouldn't be the case at the destination. It must be so upsetting though, especially when you've got little ones with you.

@Throwawaytoday But the 10 years from date of issue (making the expiry date irrelevant) IS new and that’s the issue

I think what is confusing a lot of people is if they had previously got an extension to their passport as the date shown isn't the actual date if this makes sense

And I absolutely do feel sorry for people in this situation. Especially the children who will have been excited for time on the beach. Last time I flew there was a frantic mum with her dh and 2 children. They were so late their flight was boarding as they arrived at baggage check. The staff would not let them go any further and the woman was sobbing pleading and begging the staff to do something. I don't know why they were so late - perhaps the traffic was horrendous, perhaps they were exceptionally badly organised. But did I feel sorry for someone so disappointed? Definitely.( and their destination was one which at the time was only being flown to once a week so their holiday was basically screwed)

UK Passports are not valid for 10 years 6 months as standard. In the past extra months were added making it valid for up to 10y 9 months. This no longer happens and new passports are only valid for exactly 10 years.

For Europe its 3 months you need remaining not 6 months

I agree OP. I find it absolutely incredible that the average person is expected to know that the expiry date clearly stated in their passport MAY be a total fiction because of the shoddy Brexit deal and our government's total mismanagement of the situation.

If the government was doing its job, it would have ensured that the Brexit deal had not created this result. Or alternatively, it would have contacted everyone in this situation and informed them. But no. Instead people waste money on holidays or paying for the fast track passport service. If this situation was caused by a business and not the government, that business would almost certainly be in breach of consumer protection law but those rules don't apply to the government despite its actions (or lack of) having significant impact on ordinary people.

Does anyone know why we have to have 6 months left on our passports?

Why tell us our passports are valid for 10 years when in reality you can only use them for 9.5 years before you can't travel. I don't get it.

So some pervert thought a child was "hot" and so took them to the embassy instead of turning them back?

I dread to think what country this was. The mind boggles!

I remember in the 90s going on an 18-30’s holiday with friends. We all checked in at the airport as you did in those days. One of our group got really questioned by the check in guy… where was she going? What resort? Who was on the holiday with her?
We all laughed at the time thinking he fancied her and she’d pulled before she even got on the flight!
Fast forward to the end of the holiday. We’re sitting outside in the hotel bar waiting for our coach to arrive to take us to the airport. Having a laugh at everyone’s passport photos. Until someone points out that my friends passport had actually expired 9 months earlier!!! 😱
God love that check in guy who had obviously spotted it, sized up the situation, decided my friend wasn’t a risk and telling her her passport had expired would ruin her and everyone else’s holiday and let her travel! No one even spotted it when we arrived back in the U.K. either!!
Only in the 90s! 🤣

For EU travel passports now expire 10 years (5 years for a child's) after it was issued, not on the day it quite clearly says on the passport it expires. Unless the airlines are proactively telling people this you can hardly blame people for not knowing. Unless of course you voted for Brexit, then hahahaha tough luck.

For Europe its 3 months not 6
Other countries need 6 months

I think it's made things worse because it's 3 months and your passport can't be more than 10 years old. So mine had 5 months left on it but was over 10 years because I'd renewed early. I didn't realise the second new rule until 2 weeks before we flew. Luckily I manage to get a fast track renewal but its not that clear.

Well it is entirely their fault for not checking, kids or no kids. And of course they can't turn a blind eye, it would be worse if they got to where they are going and got turned away at the border

I don’t really understand why you need six months? Why not make the expiry date the actual expiry date? So you can travel right up to the day before it expires?

@dementedpixie thank you for the clarification Good to know it's not 6 months everywhere.

Maybe so you don't overstay in the country and then have an expired passport. Its the rules of the destination country that you go by

Happy Brexit everyone !

My thoughts exactly! I don't understand why we need this 'buffer' of time left to be able to travel? Especially if it's for a holiday that is clearly a set amount of time (1/2 weeks etc) and you're back in the UK by the final day of your passports validity.

True and hopefully we are treating EU citizens like the rest of the world though I doubt it.

Should have said some countries need 6 months
Some countries say you don't need extra months at all (think USA says no extra time is needed)

Except in this country where over-stayers expect to be allowed to stay.

It's their own fault. I've always double and triple checked everything before we travel abroad. Maybe next time they won't be so careless.

the 10 year validity from issue date is international standard that the eu tolerated as long as uk was part of it.

but, of course, being sorry for those families is a normal thing. maybe they tried to renew and didn't get their passports in time and decided to try anyway.