Passports and 6 month validity

[pigby]

DD needs a renewal of our passport from a child to an adult one following its expiry soon.

While checking the others, I can see that DH's expires on 1/3/15.

We go on 30/8/14 and return on 12/9/14 so he has over 6 months on his passport when we go but slightly less than 6 months on our return - do we need to renew?

 

[chmurf]

DD needs a renewal of our passport from a child to an adult one following its expiry soon.

While checking the others, I can see that DH's expires on 1/3/15.

We go on 30/8/14 and return on 12/9/14 so he has over 6 months on his passport when we go but slightly less than 6 months on our return - do we need to renew?

The UK is part of the "6 months club", which is a list of countries that DO NOT require the 6 months validity on the passports for US entry

Your passport only needs to be valid up to your maximum length of stay in the US (90 days) after your date of entry

if you renew, you'll also need to renew the ESTA for that passenger. But you are not required to renew that passport.

 

[Kath2003]

DD needs a renewal of our passport from a child to an adult one following its expiry soon.

While checking the others, I can see that DH's expires on 1/3/15.

We go on 30/8/14 and return on 12/9/14 so he has over 6 months on his passport when we go but slightly less than 6 months on our return - do we need to renew?

You can renew a passport up to 9 months in advance of the expiration date and "retain" those 9 months (I.e. Is validity will be 10 years from the OLD expiration date). So if you were to renew your DH's passport at the beginning of July, he would retain the 1/3/25 expiration on the passport.

 

[pigby]

Thank you - I didn't know that - technically then we don't need to renew my daughter's either as hers expires on 17/9/14, 5 days after we come home. Think that one might be a bit close for comfort for me though so might just do it anyway as she is also going to Spain with a friend in July and I have no idea what the rules are for Spain.

 

[chmurf]

Thank you - I didn't know that - technically then we don't need to renew my daughter's either as hers expires on 17/9/14, 5 days after we come home. Think that one might be a bit close for comfort for me though

as a matter of fact, being on the 6 months club means that the USA will add a 6 months validity period to any eligible country's citizen
the only issue is if your passport expires less than 3 months after entry, your authorised length of stay will be shortened.
for example, if there are only 2 months left on your passport, you will only be allowed to stay in the US for 60 days instead of 90 under the visa waiver program.

another issue would be at the airport. some agents might not be aware of the rule and insist that you need 6 months validity on your passport, even though you don't.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements

so might just do it anyway as she is also going to Spain with a friend in July and I have no idea what the rules are for Spain.

Spain goes by the same rule. Your passport must be valid for your entire intended length of stay (which must not exceed 90 days)

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

 

[disneyholic family]

when i spoke with the embassy, they said that the 6 month rule is imposed by the airlines, not by the US.
You only need validity for the length of your stay.
It's the airlines that require the 6 month validity (at least according to the person at the embassy who answered my question)..

but i assume your airline will only worry about when you are heading to the states, not returning from the states.

 

[pigby]

Thanks for that, Bath - I will double check with BA.

Another quick question - if I didn't renew for this trip - as we need ESTA's again this year, I would imagine that we would only get one year out of them rather than 2 as we would need to renew for next year? Or can you amend the passport number and get another year out of them?

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks for that, Bath - I will double check with BA.

Another quick question - if I didn't renew for this trip - as we need ESTA's again this year, I would imagine that we would only get one year out of them rather than 2 as we would need to renew for next year? Or can you amend the passport number and get another year out of them?

No, you will need to apply for a new ESTA for the new passport numbers. I got an email from CBP letting me know one of our ESTA's was going to expire just before her passport expired, even though there was still another year on the ESTA. I had to apply for a new one for the new passport.

 

[Elise79]

The ESTA is for 2 years or up to the expiration of the passport if that is earlier

If you need new ESTAs anyway I would renew the passports first. If the ESTAs will be valid for you trip I would leave them and renew later.

For what is worth DD entered on her first passport in December when it was due to expire in 6 weeks time. Neither the VA check in agent nor the immigration officer in MCO said anything.