time left on passport?

[a jay]

ok, so this might be a stupid question but seeing as we fly on Tuesday morning and the excitement is taking over a stupid question is allowed.
My sons passport runs out beginning of June 2010. Do you have to have a certain amount of time left on your passport to enter the USA? If so does anyone know how long? Is his passport ok. If it's not the excitement will turn into heart stopping dread!

 

[disneyholic family]

ok, so this might be a stupid question but seeing as we fly on Tuesday morning and the excitement is taking over a stupid question is allowed.
My sons passport runs out beginning of June 2010. Do you have to have a certain amount of time left on your passport to enter the USA? If so does anyone know how long? Is his passport ok. If it's not the excitement will turn into heart stopping dread!

there are no stupid questions!

your son's passport is fine - you need 6 months left on your passport....it's a demand of the airlines, not the US...

 

[natalielongstaff]

yes its 6 months, have a great trip

 

[wayneg]

Correct there is a 6 month rule but majority of UK travellers are exempt from it under the visa waiver plan.

All down to your airline, Virgin & BA will allow you to go with any valid passport, they stick with the US CBP rules and don't require 6 months validity.
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/healthandvisainformation/index.jsp
If you follow this link with Virgin, fill in details it returns this info:

U.S.A. (US)
Passport required.
- Nationals of United Kingdom (Great Britain) may enter with
passports valid for period of intended stay.

 

[marypops!]

Correct there is a 6 month rule but majority of UK travellers are exempt from it under the visa waiver plan.

All down to your airline, Virgin & BA will allow you to go with any valid passport, they stick with the US CBP rules and don't require 6 months validity.
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/healthandvisainformation/index.jsp
If you follow this link with Virgin, fill in details it returns this info:

U.S.A. (US)
Passport required.
- Nationals of United Kingdom (Great Britain) may enter with
passports valid for period of intended stay.

Hi,
(logged in on son's account again, as I can't work out how to change over to mine!)
Do you know if that is ok with US airways aswell pl? I found something on the US Embassy site which confirmed that, so assumed it was, but now I may have to start panicking as all our kids passports expire the end of Oct! (We go Aug 23rd and return beg of Sept)
Help!!(pl!)

Jules x

 

[wayneg]

Hi Jules.
For USairways their site says "Requirements for international travel
Non-U.S. Citizens: You should check entry requirements with the consular officials of the countries you plan to visit before you travel."
taken from here http://www.usairways.com/awa/Conten...rmation/ticketing_policies/international.aspx

So then you need to check with the consular officials of the US which I have just found for you, they issue this info that tells you the 6 month rule is waived for UK travellers.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/sixmonth.html

Or from their FAQ's
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.
http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/faqs/faq_visa_niv.html#niv079

 

[jonkatony]

I asked the same question earlier in the year and the advice I got (which I took)
was to renew my sons passport. They add any remaining time on to the new passport. The passport was turned around in about ten days and as a renewal was easy to complete,
Yes when I looked into it he should have been o.k to travel on his old one but we did not want to chance it?

 

[marypops!]

Hi Jules.
For USairways their site says "Requirements for international travel
Non-U.S. Citizens: You should check entry requirements with the consular officials of the countries you plan to visit before you travel."
taken from here http://www.usairways.com/awa/Conten...rmation/ticketing_policies/international.aspx

So then you need to check with the consular officials of the US which I have just found for you, they issue this info that tells you the 6 month rule is waived for UK travellers.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/sixmonth.html

Or from their FAQ's
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.
http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/faqs/faq_visa_niv.html#niv079

thankyou Wayne

You amaze me how you find all this info!

I will copy it and take it with me, just to be on the safe side, though!

Jules x

 

[wayneg]

thankyou Wayne

You amaze me how you find all this info!

I will copy it and take it with me, just to be on the safe side, though!

Jules x

You will have no problems with a valid passport but many people feel happier renewing before rather than later as you can add any unused months from the old passport onto a new one, so you don't actually lose any months.