Is my passport valid to US

isotonic_uk

Dear All

I think I may have a problem with my passport and I wanted to get other peoples view on it before I act.

Ok my passport is due to expire on 19th February 2009. I am going away to my honeymoon in Florida, US and leave these shores on 23rd August, and return on 8th Sept.

When I leave here my passport will be less than 6 months to expiry.

Will I get any problems leaving the country? I had a look on the US embassy site and think I might be ok but just need a second opinion.

http://london.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/...
this site suggests otherwise

also looked here just read this http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...iv.html#niv079

"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. "


Your advice is appreciated on this, I am beginning to sweat.

M4RKM

the latest date they will stamp the passport to, is normally (afaik) expiry date.. so you have to leave the country before then..

when you land, on the 23rd aug, you will get 90 days, so, til november... so you'll be ok....

moonrakerz

markymoo wrote: »

the latest date they will stamp the passport to, is normally (afaik) expiry date.. so you have to leave the country before then..

when you land, on the 23rd aug, you will get 90 days, so, til november... so you'll be ok....

US Immigration do not stamp your passport with a departure date, only the entry date.

The "6 month rule" is bizarre. It has no logical reason for being there. Only very few countries operate it yet it is continuously dragged out as applying to everywhere.
The important bit is "Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States. "

The 6 months extension referred to has nothing to do with the supposed "6 month rule". It is an agreement between certain countries so that if someone falls ill or is "detained" in a country they do not have to worry about their passport's validity on top of any other troubles !

benjus

moonrakerz wrote: »

The 6 months extension referred to has nothing to do with the supposed "6 month rule". It is an agreement between certain countries so that if someone falls ill or is "detained" in a country they do not have to worry about their passport's validity on top of any other troubles !

Well, I don't know, but perhaps that was also the reason for implementing the 6 month rule... maybe they are just two different solutions to the same issue.

The FCO travel advice website would have you believe that the 6 month rule is very common outside the developed world... I have never travelled on a soon-to-expire passport, so I don't know how much of this is true.

BTW, it's worth noting that the new ESTA system for electronic advance passenger information to the USA states that you must have 6 months validity. I wonder if this will be changed before it becomes mandatory in January 2009.

sturll

isotonic_uk wrote: »

Dear All

I think I may have a problem with my passport and I wanted to get other peoples view on it before I act.

Ok my passport is due to expire on 19th February 2009. I am going away to my honeymoon in Florida, US and leave these shores on 23rd August, and return on 8th Sept.

When I leave here my passport will be less than 6 months to expiry.

Will I get any problems leaving the country? I had a look on the US embassy site and think I might be ok but just need a second opinion.

http://london.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/...
this site suggests otherwise

also looked here just read this http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...iv.html#niv079

"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. "


Your advice is appreciated on this, I am beginning to sweat.

I dont understand what your concern is mate. You have answered your own question above. You'll be fine.

moonrakerz

benjus wrote: »

The FCO travel advice website would have you believe that the 6 month rule is very common outside the developed world... I have never travelled on a soon-to-expire passport, so I don't know how much of this is true.

Agree with you.

But the problem you get then is that travel agents, cruise companies, etc put the 6 month rule in their Ts & Cs just to cover themselves.
I just did a 4 day trip to Hamburg on the QM2 - Cunard say my passport had to be valid for an extra 6 months !!! Whether they would enforce that ???

It is always sensible to keep your passport well in date, they will give you a credit of 9 months if you renew early.

M4RKM

*checks his passport*

yes.. there is a date in there, that states what date i am allowed to stay until..

moonrakerz

markymoo wrote: »

*checks his passport*

yes.. there is a date in there, that states what date i am allowed to stay until..

"checks his passport"

yes, there is a date in there, that states the date I arrived

pompeyrich

They stamp the arrival date on the passport page and the admitted until date on the green or white visa form that they staple in your passport and which you hand in on leaving the US.

spiro

isotonic_uk you dont mention your sex but if you are getting married the womens passport is the important one as it will need to be in her married name, ditto tickets etc.

Incapuppy

spiro wrote: »

isotonic_uk you dont mention your sex but if you are getting married the womens passport is the important one as it will need to be in her married name, ditto tickets etc.

Is that a particular requirement for the US then? I thought it would be fine to travel in the ladies maiden name as long as the name on the passport matched the tickets.