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Passport has

S

ScouseIan

We are going on holiday in August to Italy, through France, Belgium, Germany and Austria. My daughters passport expires in October 2009. Are the French immigration officers going to stop her gaining entry because she does not have at least 3 months left?

I seem to remember reading something about this at some time.

I didn't really want to go through the rigmarole of renewing just yet.

Ian
 
Although the UK is part of the European Union (EU), you still need to carry a full British passport every time you travel to Europe. This includes day trips and travel by Eurostar. For adults this means carrying a ten-year adult passport; for children a five-year child passport unless they are included on a parent's passport.

Many countries no longer check passports at their land borders, but they still expect visitors to carry a valid form of ID. For UK travellers this is a British passport.

France has no restrictions on time left on your passport, you just have to leave before it expires. I would imagine Italy and other European country's would be the same, probably worth phoning them rather than basing the legality of your trip on my assumptions though.

And remember, you will need to show your passport at immigration control when you return to the UK.
 
Always have thought that this was a rip off. You are not suddenly any less British because it is the day after your pass port expiry date. I bet you if the European Court ruled that all EU citizens had the right to a passport fro free, that the expiry date would be dropped and passports made for life.
 
You can apply for a new passport before the old one expires, and then your new one will expire ten years after the expiry of the old one. If this makes any sense. I will try and give an example, as follows

Old passport expires 15/10/09

You apply for renewal 15/07/09

The new passport will then expire 15/10/19

So in effect you new passport runs for 10yrs and 3 months

This is what happened to me

Simon
 
Thanks for the replies but still not 100% clear.

I have found this:

"Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:

(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card. "

Here

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/92/passport_visa/Europe/France.html
Not exactly official. But still unclear because we do not have a national ID card.

I'm only bothered about france because I don't expect to have passports checked on any other border crossings. When I come back to UK, immigration are not likely to say 'no you can't come back in because you only have a month left on your passport'

William, yes, passports are now a rip-off. I have 4 kids and we have to have passports for all of us. Kids only last 5 years so every year or so I'm forking out 50 or 70 pounds or whatever it is. Just to prove who I am. And it wouldn't even get me to USA, thats why I'd never go. I hear they treat you like scum on entry. Actually, sounds like our own authorities.

Simon, I understand I can apply for one early, but my point is I don't want to pay another
 
I think that you will be ok in Europe, as it was pointed out to my wife that her passport would run out 2 weeks after our return, untill I pointed out that it had 54 weeks left on it, but that was leaving the UK

Would it be cheaper to renew the passport than

1)Your daughter having to return home on her own

2)The whole family having to return home
 
You should be ok, but obviously are taking a chance. I have been stopped by a European country for having only 6 months left. They did not bar me entry, merely advised me that the date was close and that the 'rules' did stipulate at least 6 months. You will probably go through passport control leaving the UK as they have evidently re-introduced these to stop everybody leaving the country as we all know it is a dead duck.

Don't forget that the UK is not a Schengen country and so passport control is required to enter a Schengen country.

An expiry date in October for a holiday in August is cutting it a bit thin and you have to decide if the risk is worth it. For
 
My wife recently renewed her passport. Application was sent on Sunday via the Post Office 'check and send' (Post office in our Asda is open Sunday). New passport arrived Weds! I was well impressed.

As someone said, you also get the unexpired time on the old passport added to the expiry date, up to (I think) 9 months.
 
Belgium does require 3 months and as I will be going there in August I renewed mine early and as mentioned by others the extra months were added on, also used the post office service and after 4 attempts with keeping all text in the tiny boxes my new passport also came very quickly.

Dave
 
I'll book her a single from dover to Liverpool Lime Street. She's only 10 so it won't cost much.

With all of the kiddie fidlers on the loose in this country.

I think we will be reading of her exploits in the press

But I hope you are only joking
 
I'll book her a single from dover to Liverpool Lime Street. She's only 10 so it won't cost much.

With all of the kiddie fidlers on the loose in this country.

I think we will be reading of her exploits in the press

But I hope you are only joking
Click to expand...
I'd guess there are fewer 'kiddie fiddlers' on the loose these days than any other time in our history, but then again that doesn't sell newspapers.

Of course I was only joking, the coach is way cheaper.

Regarding 3 months for Belgium, I've never been stopped entering any country in europe by road so I don't think it will matter.

I'm beginning to worry though now having listened to others advice. Just imagine if I was turned away at Calais. Maybe its not worth the risk.

Damn, another
 
I'd guess there are fewer 'kiddie fiddlers' on the loose these days than any other time in our history, but then again that doesn't sell newspapers.

Of course I was only joking, the coach is way cheaper.

Regarding 3 months for Belgium, I've never been stopped entering any country in europe by road so I don't think it will matter.

I'm beginning to worry though now having listened to others advice. Just imagine if I was turned away at Calais. Maybe its not worth the risk.

Damn, another
 
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