we are due to return from this years trip on 4 october, DH passport expires on 27 april 09 this is just over the six months by my reckoning, is it likely to cause problems or should we renew it early just for the sake of simplicity. Gill
There is a simple answer to this.
There is legislation from the US immigration that they require 6 months from departure.
There are countries exempt from this including the UK which mean your passport only has to be valid on the day of departure.
Airlines do not know what nationality of passport people have so some quote the 6 month rule to cover themselves.
No airline requires more than 6 months left, some require it to be valid for travel only so you are OK
From the virgin website
http://www.timaticweb.com/cgi-bin/ti...&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;