Passport Validity

[TracyK78]

I’m looking for advice on Passport Validity, i’m getting 2 different answers when i search on line..
Travelling to Spain 16.07.25 1 Week
Passport issued 02.02.16 Expires 02.11.26
i know the 9 extra months can’t be counted, i have just under six months left on my passport 02.02.26

Can i still travel 🫣

It can be counted for the expiry date. It just has to be less than 10 years old on departure which yours is.

You need it to have been issued for less than 10 years before your outbound flight and need at least three months left before the expiry date after your return flight

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

ignore expiry date in passport.

As you say, it expires 2.2.26

you need 3 clear months prior to this date for EU travel. you are fine.

I'd definitely renew it when you get back though. have a great holiday

This is incorrect advice.

The two tests are independent. My passport has very similar dates to yours. They're fine for travel to the EU up to the 10 year anniversary but invalid after that.

Other countries have different rules and some, such as Mexico I believe, can be used right up to the stated date of expiry.

Yes you can still travel - you still have over 6 months left after your return date (and for the EU the rule is 3 months anyway, I believe)

I wonder when these “10 year + x months” passports are going to stop being an issue, seems to be causing no end of confusion!

According to TUIs passport checker
you are ok to travel to Spain

@strawlight Probably when the last of the 10 + X months ones run out. I think there's another 2 or 3 years left to go.

But before that we've probably got to endure peak newspaper sad faces from those who've been refusd travel and people posting incorrect information as fact on social media and chat forums.

Travelling to Spain 16.07.25 1 Week
Passport issued 02.02.16 Expires 02.11.26

When you enter Spain on 16/07/25 your passport must be under 10 years old (look at issue date and add 10 years = 02/02/26) ✅️

When you leave Spain on 23/07/25 you must have 3 month remaining (look at expiry date = 02/11/2026) ✅️

Your passport passes both tests so it is valid for your holiday.

@strawlight I think it was September 2018 that they stopped adding extra months so we have a few years left to have passport issues

How is that incorrect?

@titchy because this is correct.

You don't 'ignore the expiry date'.

It says in the OP that it expires in November not February.

Ah ok.

Ah ok.

Why is it incorrect?

I know the passport passes both tests ie 10 years and 3 months. I did not say that it didn't.

Even though the 2.2.26 date is the expiry date, does the 3 months extra go beyond this, into the now invalid extra time?

passports only now valid for 10 years from issue date. Extra time issued pre Brexit is no longer ' valid'

@Plantladylover you keep making incorrect statements, please stop giving advice. Read this post for clarification.

You can use the added months when calculating the 3 months remaining that you need when exiting the EU. You dont calculate 10 years and then deduct 3 months from the date you've calculated. This is the bit you are getting wrong.

There are 2 separate tests.
For entry - count 10 years from issue date
For exit - look at expiry date.

Thanks for clarifying this to me @dementedpixie and with kindness, I appreciate it.

I didn't realise the 3 months remaining could go into the added months and apologise to OP and anyone else for my previous incorrect advice.