Passport Question?

[chmurf]

New passport in my maiden name it is!

you'll need a new ESTA

names must match on plane ticket, passport and ESTA

 

[windy1968]

My apologies on the passport info , I work for Thomas cook and our visa info at work still says you must have 6 months just checked FCO and it states you only need it to valid for the duration of your stay

But if you do renew passport office will add on any validity onto your new passport upto 6 months

 

[flortlebap]

Just to update...


Entering the US on my current passport is fine and BA have confirmed that I do not need 6months left on it.

However, I DO need 6 months left on my passport to enter the Bahamas while on the cruise.

New passport in my maiden name it is!

And don't forget your new ESTA

 

[wayneg]

My apologies on the passport info , I work for Thomas cook and our visa info at work still says you must have 6 months just checked FCO and it states you only need it to valid for the duration of your stay

But if you do renew passport office will add on any validity onto your new passport upto 6 months

Nothing personal but this is exactly why many of us will not use travel agents and tour operators anymore. They are supposed to be experts yet give out wrong information to many people.
Most will(and do) incorrectly tell customers there is a 6 month rule.

The passport office will add 9 months onto a new passport. "Time left on an existing passport is added to your new one - up to a maximum of 9 months."
https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport

 

[bobbins]

My apologies on the passport info , I work for Thomas cook and our visa info at work still says you must have 6 months just checked FCO and it states you only need it to valid for the duration of your stay

But if you do renew passport office will add on any validity onto your new passport upto 6 months

Sorry, but I find it quite ridiculous that someone who works for a tour operator will come on a public website and confidently post completely incorrect information.

The terror for travellers is they'll get to the airport and if another ill-informed employee blocks their travel they'll be totally stuffed as we know airport staff will never back down.

 

[windy1968]

I think you need to get a reality check, I work for a travel agent and that is the info that is provided to me by our computer systems at work which is provided from Thomas cook head office.

Even as The FCO states would the original poster want to turn up at the airport after paying all that money to be told by Thomas Cook that they won't allow them to travel, would it not be safer to renew your passport after all it will have to be renewed eventually.
Find your comment a little over the top

 

[Elise79]

I think you need to get a reality check, I work for a travel agent and that is the info that is provided to me by our computer systems at work which is provided from Thomas cook head office.

Even as The FCO states would the original poster want to turn up at the airport after paying all that money to be told by Thomas Cook that they won't allow them to travel, would it not be safer to renew your passport after all it will have to be renewed eventually.
Find your comment a little over the top

Yes, passports do need to be renewed eventually, but you don't always want to go to the expense of renewing for many reasons.

If we renew DDs early it means I also need to get her a new ESTA. I don't like paying out for things unnecessarily so I will taking her to Florida (on Virgin) in December on a passport that expires in February.

I know I wouldn't loss any time off her passport but paying an extra $14 ESTA is like paying extra tax for no reason to me

 

[windy1968]

I'm not sure i would like to travel anywhere in the world with only 1/2 months validity on my passport just in case god forbid you took ill and had spend a prolonged stay

 

[Elise79]

I'm not sure i would like to travel anywhere in the world with only 1/2 months validity on my passport just in case god forbid you took ill and had spend a prolonged stay

We are going to Florida not a third world country

And if she was taken that ill - I think an expired passport would be the least of my worries.

 

[windy1968]

No I'm just saying that it would be better to have some longer validity on the passport just in case of any extended stay, I think the foreign office advise that as well

 

[wayneg]

No I'm just saying that it would be better to have some longer validity on the passport just in case of any extended stay, I think the foreign office advise that as well

 

[bobbins]

Even as The FCO states would the original poster want to turn up at the airport after paying all that money to be told by Thomas Cook that they won't allow them to travel, would it not be safer to renew your passport after all it will have to be renewed eventually.

That's the thing that, cool customer and regular traveller as I am, would niggle away at me - what if you get that jobsworth employee at the airport who is utterly convinced that the passport needs 6 months on it?

The lack of clarity on this from tour operators and travel agents is ridiculous. Not only do you not need 6 mths, but the US allows an extra 6 months too in case you get stuck in the US.

The problem the OP has got is that if she renews her passport now she'll have to renew in her maiden name. She's then stuck with that passport for 10 years unless she pays the full price (not a trivial amount) again as you can't change names on passports, you have to buy a new one.

 

[bxccah]

We went to Disney and one of our party only had 4 months left. We flew with Virgin and had no problems although the friendly customs officer at Orlando advised her to get a new one for the next trip.