Passport Advice

[Rach78]

Hi,
We go in 6 weeks and DH's passport expires in March which makes it under 6 months. Now I originally thought you had to have 6 months remaining on a passport to travel to US however I read on the British Embassy website that the UK and US had an agreement where you were allowed 6 months extra on your passport so it just had to be valid for the duration of travel. I also checked the US Embassy website and it said the same. However I wondered if anyone has any experience of actually travelling without more than 6 months remaining on your passport? I had to buy both DD's a new passport so would like to avoid the cost of renewing however would also like peace of mind that they aren't going to stop DH traveling. Hope this make sense,TIA
Rach

 

[tinkerpea]

I also go in nealry 6 wks and have just had to renew my oldest sons passport as he fell just short of the 6 months,I also have to send my twins passports off tomorrow and they have just under 6 months too!

I was also under the impression that you needed 6 months on the passport and when getting my sons i mentioned the fact we had to do 3 passports as we was going to the US and the boys had just under the 6 and she replied oh yes you need at least 6 months!! so now i dont know either

 

[Rach78]

Hi Tinkerpea,
I think that's why I am unsure as everyone I speak to seems to think that you do need 6 months.
Thanks

 

[2Tiggies]

You don't need 6 months, but it has to be valid through to your return date.

Some travel agents still tell you that you do, but my understanding is that you don't

If however you only have 6 months left and you are still to apply for ESTA's you may as well renew because as soon as you renew or change your passport your ESTA, linked to the passport number, is invalid. They will also credit up to 9 months onto your new one if you renew early so it's a smarter move in the long term if you can afford to do it.

 

[wayneg]

Lee is correct, you don't need 6 months on a passport, it needs to be valid for your dates of travel.
The UK (and other countries) is exempt from the rule.
Anyone that tells you 6 months is wrong, they are giving you blanket info to save themselves the hassle of finding out the correct info. If you ask most airlines either by phone or email they will usually tell you 6 months because its a safe option, they have no idea of your personal circumstances but if you are a UK Citizen with UK passport it only needs to be valid for your dates of travel.

Saying that most people prefer to renew, you can add upto 9 months from an old passport onto a new one so you don't lose out.

 

[Samaya]

And waiting a few more days to apply for a new passport should save you money as prices change on the 3rd September.

Adult applications by Post / Post Office Check & Send / Online is reduced by £5.00 from £77.50 to £72.50 and Fast Track by £9.50 from £112.50 to £103.00.

Link to the new fees http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consu...vernment/documents/digitalasset/dg_202285.pdf

 

[TinkerbellW]

I had a similar problem to this. Knowing that all of our passports wouldn't have 6 months validity we postponed a trip to USA and decided to go to Canaries only to be told 2 days before that as our passports weren't valid for 3 months after we came back we wouldn't be permitted to travel. I spoke to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who were brilliant and they told me that providing your passport is valid for the length of your stay in the country you are visiting and all other paperwork is completed, you are fine to go. The extra months are there to cover if the unthinkable happens (e.g. accident / illness etc). If it will put your mind at rest, I would give them a call and explain your situation - with 6 weeks to go you still have loads of time to get a new passport if you are still worried.

 

[jen_uk]

I travelled to the USA with only a few weeks left on my passport and had no problems, it was not even mentioned by the airline or immigration

 

[Samaya]

This question is on the London USA Embassy web site, in fact it states "The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States"

The extension possibly allows for any problems such as sickness which might delay your expected return.

Here's the link and answer.

http://london.usembassy.gov/faq-passports.html

Does my British passport have to be valid for six months beyond my date of departure from the United States?

No, if your passport is not valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States, it will not affect your eligibility to travel. The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States.

If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires.