Passport expiry date & travel to Europe

[BluebellCockleshell123]

My passport was issued in Feb 2012 and expires in Feb 2022.

I'm due to travel to Spain for a long weekend in September and if I'm reading the Spain entry requirements correctly, I will need 3 months validity on the passport from the date that I would exit Spain and the passport must have been issued within the last 10 years.

It looks to me like my passport will be valid for this trip, but I've just done a check on the UK Government website which recommends that I renew my passport for travel from 21st Aug.

check-passport-for-travel-to-europe.homeoffice.gov.uk/?cookies=true

Has anyone recently travelled to Spain on a passport that is only valid for the next 3 months? Will it be a problem?

I am loathe to renew my passport now as I'm not planning to go abroad again until next summer, so seems like a waste of money if not required.

3 months is fine
Is the calculator thing defaulting to 6 months remaining rather than 3?

The calculator doesn't ask for your trip details and seems to default to 6 months. It does mention a minimum 3 months validity, but the big red box thing recommends renewal and looks a bit scary!

Om going to Tenerife on 28 Sept and just realised my passport was issued Sept 2011, valid to June 2022. Was planning on getting new one when I returned. I now raise it will expire after 10 years. Just been to post office to renew. Does anyone know how long passports are taking now?

My sister's passport expires November 2022 and she was refused entry to the plane to Europe last week. You need so much extra time on your passport now after Brexit.

@garlictwist do you happen to know when your sister's passport was issued? Just trying to work out if I need to renew also. Thank you.

Do you mean November 2021 @garlictwist?
She needs to look at the start date; it's valid for 10 years from that date regardless of what the expiry date says. In the past up to an extra 9 months could be added on when renewing but those extra months now can't be used. From that 10 year date you also need 3 months remaining for Europe or 6 months for some other countries

@dancealittleclosertome count 10 years from the start date and then from the new date you need either 3 or 6 months remaining depending on where you are going

No I mean November 2022! It was issued in 2011. I really struggled to understand the reason, even though I have read the government website, it's very confusing. But as I understand it you need an extra 90 days from expiry on top of the 10 years..I think. Either way, my sister challenged it and it turns out they were right.

No way is a passport expiring Nov22 not valid.

Depends on date of issue then
Any extra months added to make it valid for more than 10 years don't count. Then deduct 3 months from the date you leave the other country from that new date to give the true validity of the passport

Some airlines were wrongly saying you need 6 months validity rather than 3 months. The government website was also giving incorrect info but I think that's been changed now

Renewed 2 passports 1st August...received yesterday so just over 3 weeks

You’ll get refused travel most likely. I work for an airline and we’re on alert at the minute for passports .

@CharlotteRose90

You’ll get refused travel most likely. I work for an airline and we’re on alert at the minute for passports .

Her passport is valid for more than 3 months from exiting Spain so why on earth would she be refused travel??

@garlictwist

No I mean November 2022! It was issued in 2011. I really struggled to understand the reason, even though I have read the government website, it's very confusing. But as I understand it you need an extra 90 days from expiry on top of the 10 years..I think. Either way, my sister challenged it and it turns out they were right.

I assume she has had several months extra added to her passport. Though I thought the maximum you could have carried over was 9 months.

The extra moments no longer count.

That link is only recommending you renew if you are planning on travelling in Europe for 90 days. As you arent doing that then 3 months is sufficient

@dementedpixie it might be valid but she’s lost the 6 months so technically as most countries are wanting 6 months validity her passport doesn’t have it. You take 6 months off the expiry now so that is august this year. I’ve rejected so many passports now. It is very strict in certain countries. Not worth the risk.

But Europe asks for 3 months not 6 months validity

[quote CharlotteRose90]@dementedpixie it might be valid but she’s lost the 6 months so technically as most countries are wanting 6 months validity her passport doesn’t have it. You take 6 months off the expiry now so that is august this year. I’ve rejected so many passports now. It is very strict in certain countries. Not worth the risk.[/quote]
Isn't it 3 months for most European countries?

Yes its 3 months for most European countries

@CharlotteRose90 - what are the rules with child passports? My daughter’s was issued Nov 16 and says it’s valid till Jun 22. Is it only valid till Nov 21 now? I’ve looked on the gov.uk page and it only says “Your passport must be less than 10 years old”.

www.gov.uk/guidance/passport-rules-for-travel-to-europe