Passport Validity

[meryll83]

I have friends who are adamant (sp?!) that you must have 6 months left on your passport from your return date.

Now I think this is something travel agents say to safeguard themselves, but on the US Embassy website it appears to indicate that basically as long as your passport is still in date when you return it's fine, if it expired while you were over there they'd just deport you!

My passport will have about 4 months left on it, am I right in thinking I am good to go with this passport?

 

[Chilly]

If you are going to renew your passport anyway you might as well do it before you go as they just add the 4 months onto the 10 years so you don't lose out.

 

[Tron[ADS]]

Im sure ive been with only a month or so left on my return...but I'd be tempted to go with the US Embassy info rather than your friends.

 

[meryll83]

If you are going to renew your passport anyway you might as well do it before you go as they just add the 4 months onto the 10 years so you don't lose out.

I didn't want to renew until after our wedding (in Florida) if possible.

Friends also said the 4 months would be lost, but as below, I'm not sure how reliable their info is

Im sure ive been with only a month or so left on my return...but I'd be tempted to go with the US Embassy info rather than your friends.

Thanks for the advice

 

[wayneg]

The rules are very clear with US Immigration, the passport only has to be valid for the dates of travel, UK is exempt for the 6 month rule. http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new.../sixmonth.html

but as you can get upto 9 months added onto your new one I would do in now.
http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-how-long-early.asp

 

[Claire L]

I agree leave it til you return otherwise you will have to pay two lots of charges for the new passport then change of name!

Claire

 

[wicket2005]

Sometimes different airline carriers state how much passport validity they require.

 

[Chilly]

Didn't think about the name change! You should be fine to leave it. You could ring Virgin and check their policy if you wanted to be sure.

 

[Jakey Rowling]

If you are travelling with Virgin you are fine.

Scheduled airlines only require the valid on dates of travel, chartered tend to invoke the 6 month rule.

Imigration are dates of travel as well, as pointed out previously.

Linked from the virgin website if your still not convinced
http://www.timaticweb.com/cgi-bin/tim_client.cgi?ExpertMode=TIDFT/US/PA/VA&user=VSB2C&subuser=VSB2C

Passports of all visitors must be valid for at least 6
months beyond the date of intended departure from the
U.S.A.
HOWEVER, exempt are:
- holders of visas type A1-2 or G1-4 (i.e. foreign
government officials or representatives to international
organizations), whose passports need only be valid at the
time of entry; and
- nationals of the countries listed below require a
passport valid at the time of entry and may be authorized
to stay until the expiry date of the passport:
a. Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria ("Reisepass" only), Bahamas,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, China (People's Rep.) ONLY if holding Hong Kong
(SAR China) or Macao (SAR China) passports, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Rep., Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji,
Finland, France, FYROM (Former Yugoslav Rep. of
Macedonia), Georgia, Germany ("Reisepass" and/or
"Kinderausweis" only), Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea
(Rep.), Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland (Rep.
of), Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Kuwait,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Madagascar Dem. Rep., Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico,
Monaco, Montenegro (Rep. of), Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nicaragua (see note 11 below), Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russian Fed., San Marino,
Senegal, Serbia (Rep. of), Singapore, Slovak Rep.,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St.
Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines,
Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela and Zimbabwe;

 

[carolfoy]

Sometimes different airline carriers state how much passport validity they require.

agree - its sometimes the airlines that enforce the rule rather than immigration.