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Passport Expiry-3 months left-Hol to Spain?

philng
philng Posts: 830 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
in Overseas holidays & travel planning
My 2 kids passports expire at end of May this year-Can we still travel in Feb without new passports to Spain/Canaries? I am not sure we would get the renewals through if we sent off now. I had heard to some contries you need at least 6 months unexpired on your passport.
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Comments

  • McAzrael
    McAzrael Posts: 917 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 17 January 2010 at 12:22PM
    Yes. For travel within the EU you need only a valid passport or national identity card. Countries outside the EU all have their own rules, and some have a six month rule (e.g., I think, Turkey). For spain, you're fine.

    Edit: You can look up any country here: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/ The passport advice is way down the page. I was right about Turkey.
  • karengr
    karengr Posts: 12 Forumite
    Check also with the airline as some have different rulings even if the country you are visiting states that you require passports valid for length of stay the airline may require you to have 3 or 6 months left .
  • Murphy_The_Cat
    Murphy_The_Cat Posts: 20,968 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If it helps at all, my sons passport renewal was returned in 4 days.
  • bresker
    bresker Posts: 6 Forumite
    No, you'll be fine



    Money saving - please don't ring the passport line on 0300 222 0000 with these queries.

    My boss won't let me advise on foreign travel, so you'll waste the price of a local call:D

    Ring the FCO on 0845 850 3829 or go to their website
  • Inactive
    Inactive Posts: 14,509 Forumite
    karengr wrote: »
    Check also with the airline as some have different rulings even if the country you are visiting states that you require passports valid for length of stay the airline may require you to have 3 or 6 months left .

    Which airline/s would they be?

    Never heard that one before.
  • alenax
    alenax Posts: 303 Forumite
    I don't think it's the airline, I think it's visa requirements for countries that require them to enter.

    If you're worried, you could always call up the airline you're thinking of travelling with and ask?
  • dzug1
    dzug1 Posts: 13,535 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Inactive wrote: »
    Which airline/s would they be?

    Never heard that one before.

    I too don't believe there are any such airlines.

    I've heard of cases where the airline has mistaken the requirements of the country being visited and refused boarding. But that was an error, not a matter of T&C.

    Most tour operators put 6 months (for anywhere) in their T&C or at least in their advice - but you don't check in with the tour operator, you check in with the airline.
  • bresker
    bresker Posts: 6 Forumite
    Countries such as Thailand require a six month validity.

    If you don't have this, the airline will refuse to carry you as the Thai government fines them. Something like £2000 per non-compiant passenger.

    Dubai is very firm on this too.

    You may get away with less than six months in Turkey or Egypt, I believe, as tourism is so importnant there.

    Don't rely on your airline to tell you about passport vailidity. Sometimes they don't bother, and you'll be out of pocket if you have a soon to expire passport.

    Tour companies always print that 6 months are required on the passport, even if you are going on a day trip to France.
  • PolishBigSpender
    PolishBigSpender Posts: 3,771 Forumite
    edited 19 January 2010 at 5:06PM
    Inactive wrote: »
    Which airline/s would they be?

    Never heard that one before.

    It's the usual MSE "man in the pub" affair.

    Anyone that tells you that you need 3/6/12/24/whatever months in your passport to visit an EU/EEA/CH country is wrong. The European microstates couldn't care less either, and Croatia don't even bother to check.
    From Poland...with love.
    They are (they're)     sitting on the floor.
    Their     books are lying on the floor.
    The books are sitting just there on the floor.
  • Heliflyguy
    Heliflyguy Posts: 932 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 19 January 2010 at 5:42PM
    bresker wrote: »
    Countries such as Thailand require a six month validity.

    Thailand also require the passport to be in good condition and some require clear pages in the passport...but anyway I have read (today) that you can enter Spain on an expired British passport for up to 1 year from the date it expired as long as it states you are a "British citizen", the airlines probably wouldnt let you travel though :rolleyes:
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