Greece - 3 or 6 months left on passport? Why is there conflicting info?

[monotype]

So I have just under six months left on passport and a trip booked to Greece. The gov.uk website says you need 3 months left on passport on the day you leave Greece, but the Opodo app wouldn't let me proceed because it thinks 6 months is needed.

I called Opodo and they were less than useless. They asked me to call the airline and speak to them about it. I'm getting a bit nervous about the whole thing and wondering if to renew passport anyway just to avoid any problem

I would just renew, there’s all sorts of complications about adult passports only being valid for 10 years from the date of issue (which can be different to the printed date of expiry of any left over was added on) which has caught out a friend of mine recently.

It's a flat 6 months for all overseas travel now AFAIK. It's also only valid for 10 years from the date of issue, so you lose any extra months.

It's 3 months keft on your passport on date of departure in Europe as per the Gov UK website. Not sure why Opodo wouldn't let you proceed. I've just under 6 mths left on mine also and have checked in to my flight to Croatia in a couple of weeks

@RishiRich

It's a flat 6 months for all overseas travel now AFAIK. It's also only valid for 10 years from the date of issue, so you lose any extra months.

Are you saying gov.uk is incorrect then? If so, can you link to the 6mth rule for all overseas travel please.

I don't have any extra months so I'm within the 10 years window. But literally one DAY short of six months from date of departure from Greece. @Sisisimone it wouldn't let me check in saying my passport needs to have six months on it.

I think I'll just have to renew for peace of mind. Sigh, was hoping to save that money until needed

Can you just check in at the airport? It must be a fault with Opodos system. Only problem with getting a new passport is I was told 10 week wait atm which is too late for me. My dds was completely out of date and I had to pay for a fast track one for her. I'm lucky that I live near a passport office or it would have been a complete pain.

Gov site says this

If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must meet the Schengen areaa_ rules.
Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:
• less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)
• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

@RishiRich

It's a flat 6 months for all overseas travel now AFAIK. It's also only valid for 10 years from the date of issue, so you lose any extra months.

This is untrue. For Europe its 3 months

But please don't rule out the government website being wrong - for a while it did say you needed six months left - I renewed my dd's passport on the strength of this and actually didn't need to have. You're better off consulting the entry requirements of the country you're going to.

Check with the airline you're flying with. Our DS had 5 months 3 weeks last summer when we went to Greece, Jet2 initially tried to say it had to be 6 months but then it was clarified that it was 3 and we were fine. Thanks

Thank you for answers. I tried to call the airline but apparently they don't give information about entry requirements to the countries they fly to and we should check that ourselves directly! I don't understand why it's so hard to get this information and why no one is ready to accept what the gov.uk site says in black and white!

I couldn't find the info on the Greek government website on travel there. Only a lot of banging on about covid, I just want to know about passport. Could anyone please link the specific passport expiry requirement on there please? I'd be ever so grateful.

I can't even renew anymore because of the 10 week wait!

This is off the gov.uk website for Greece. To me it reads that 3 months is ok. We travelled with less than 6, more than 5 last year on our sons passport.

This is off the gov.uk website for Greece. To me it reads that 3 months is ok. We travelled with less than 6, more than 5 last year on our sons passport.

Hi yes @MiniCooperLover the gov.uk website says that but not the Greece government website. I'm going to call the embassy tomorrow and ask.

@monotype did you get a response? I'm in a similar position, I eventually got hold of a real person at my airline and they have come back saying UK passports need 6 months validity on the date you enter the country of travel so now I need to renew mine and it's less than 12 weeks

@dancemom it's so weird and shit isn't it! What your airline said isn't true. I wrote to the Greek Embassy and asked them, they said 3 months. I have it on email so if the airline challenges it I'll pull out my phone and show them.

crazy that airlines won't tell you what their policies as they are bound to not let you on the plane if you don't comply

I def hear about Jet 2 getting it wrong and telling people about it being 6 months before relenting and agreeing that it got it wrong. But to be fair to jet 2 the government got it wrong first. I think the government have now finally got it right.
www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/brexit-jet2-holiday-denied-boarding-b1878373.html

I checked the Spanish government website also and that says 3 months but I'm just not willing to risk being turned away at the airport.

This is what Ryanair said to me

In this case then I checked and no, these are the requirements:

UK passport holders traveling into a Schengen member country (except Ireland) must make sure that their passport:

• is valid for at least three months from the date they will leave the Schengen member country, unless the person has a Schengen-issued residence permit or long-term visa.

• is valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in the Schengen member country.

• UK passport should not be older than 10 years.

@RishiRich

It's a flat 6 months for all overseas travel now AFAIK. It's also only valid for 10 years from the date of issue, so you lose any extra months.

It's not 6 months , travelled last month on 5 months on mine. I renewed it when I got back

- is valid for at least six months from the date of arrival in the Schengen member country.

Where did you get that from? The attached is what gov.uk says

It's what the airline sent me

Can you check in direct with the airline instead of via Opodo?

You can usually do this with the booking reference for the flight, and your last name if you didn't book the flight directly with the airline so don't have an account.

The Greek embassy and gov.uk foreign travel site are as correct as can be and airlines, third party booking sites and web forums often incorrect, so always check an official information source and be prepared to show it if any issues at the airport in case the staff are also making up their own rules.

@dancemom Ryanair are wrong about the six months. The only rules are the 3 months and the 10 years. If they turn anyone away due to their made up six month rule, they must pay compensation:

twitter.com/simoncalder/status/1461594466079358977

Although it looks like they may have now seen sense and dropped their made up rule:

www.ryanair.com/lv/en/useful-info/travel-documentation/travel-documentation

'All non EU passport holders, travelling into a Schengen member country are obliged to ensure that their passport is valid for at least 3 months from the date of their departure from the Schengen member country'

Fuming as I have now booked a fast track passport appointment and I can't cancel. Have gone back to Ryanair about their misinformation but won't help now.