6 month passport rule?

[BlackDressingGown]

Totally not aibu but posting for traffic sorry!

Has anyone ever travelled with less than 6 months left on passport, is this allowed or will we be turned away at airport? I'm thinking to do a cheeky 3/4 night away in late oct/early nov, somewhere European but son's passport expires in march 2024, mine not til 2030.

Should be fine for a few days in November in Europe. You will have 4 months still left on your son's passport.

Why would you not just renew given there is ample time

You think 7-8 weeks is ample time for the son's passport to come back?

It depends on the country. For example Japan doesn't require any extra time and Spain only requires 3 months. So check the individual country.

Its 3 months for EU.
Make sure the passport is essential than 10 years old as well (from issue date not expiry date!) If your sons passport is an adult one.

I would get it renewed but I get paranoid about this stuff! Should be 3 months validity from the date that you're leaving your destination country (so the end of your holiday) and not more than 10 years old. Some airlines want six months validity though, I'd check on the FCO website and your airline's terms and conditions.

Thank you all for the helpful advice, much appreciated! I'm worried about trying to renew it before and it gets delayed

My DP, my sister and my BIL all got their renewals back within a week. DP was in July and Sis and BIL was last month

Check where you are travelling to - the Canaries only needed 3 months so I waited to renew my kids till we got back

Yes. Travelled to USA on less than 6 months. I just had to go to a booth instead of the automated passport control.

EU only needs 3 months remaining when you leave the EU, not 6 months. If its a child passport extra months added are fine as the passport will still be less than 10 years old

Really??? On a normal renewal service in the UK, not the expedited service?

So posted on a Monday, worked it's way through their internal mail, renewed and sent back and delivered by the Saturday? All 3 together?

USA only requires the passport to be valid for the length of the stay so no extra remaining time is required

Good to know.

Do watch out for the 10 year passport life rule as well!!

'Really??? On a normal renewal service in the UK, not the expedited service?

So posted on a Monday, worked it's way through their internal mail, renewed and sent back and delivered by the Saturday? All 3 together?'

I renewed DS's this summer. I did the online application and sent off his old passport on Monday and his new one was back by the Monday after.

Whilst the EU only requires 3 months, some airlines (or cruise lines) require 6 months so you need to check both the country and carrier. I'm going on a cruise around the Canaries. The islands require 3 month but the cruise line insists on 6 months validity.

Yes in UK and normal service. DP was in London. Sis and BIL was in Scotland (likely out the Glasgow office). Not sure if sis and BIL came back together but yes all within a week. Not uncommon going by conversations at work too

I did mine about a month ago. Filled in the online form on the Monday, paid my money and posted my old passport. My new one was on my doormat Saturday morning. Standard service, no special speedy arrangements.

I just renewed my son's passport ...took 2 weeks and I live overseas. I wouldn't risk booking anything to EU as I've heard the airlines refusing you to board the plane, if you passport is 6 months or less. I'm a resident of the EU country I live in and it's 3 months , for UK residents it's 6 months certainly for Spain

Spain is 3 months not 6.

Decide on your destination, go to www.gov.uk and type the country into the search bar. The entry requirements section confirms what the country requires. Some places just require it to be valid for the period of intended stay (e.g. USA), others (e.g Turkey) require 6 months and EU (e.g. Spain) requires 3 months.

DH renewed online and had his new passport within the week.

Yes

I went time travelling a few years ago. I went back to 1851. To be honest nobody really cared.