Machine readable passport?

Mike_J

As far as 6 month rule is concerned, I would apply for passport early to be safe. You can apply for new one up to 9 months early and have the remianign time added to your new passport. In spite of what said above when friends went with us recently the US immigration said to them "just made it in time". They had 6 months and 4 days ledt on their passport.

Information on all entry requiremnets is confusing. The UK govenment is saying 6 months to go to Spain, the Spanish consulate in Spainish terratorites is saying the passport needs to be unexpired, the Spanish embassy in London is saying follow the advice of your own government.

Many airlines are simply playing safe. They get fined for carrying passengers without proper entry documents so many are saying they will only carry with 6 months.

Mine expires next April and going to Tenerife in December so Ill apply for new one this September and have remaining time tfrd.


Mike J

BernadetteN

Is there any point in debating the 6 months validity issue if you have a UK passport anyway as you can renew 9 month early at no extra cost?

It's a good idea in any case to always have 6 months validity left wherever you go as people often change their travel plans and stay places longer so even if there's no need for 6 months validity left, it's just common sense not to travel on a passport which expires a few weeks later.

For travel back to the UK, there is no need for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens to have a valid passport so long as they can prove their nationality, so a passport expired only a few weeks will flash up as expired but should only lead to a polite reminder to renew. For other nationalities, passports need to be valid for the period of a passenger's stay (sometimes for long term stays a passport will run out before the end of the stay as some countries will only issue passports for short periods so these passengers just renew validity in the UK so they can go home again).

judderman62

and here is BA's page about API info

alanrowell wrote:

If your passport was renewed at an embassy or a consulate then for several years after 1992 it was likely you'd get a non-machine readable passport

Anyhow on the basis that a picture is worth a thousand words this is what a Machine Readable Passport looks like (page down a bit)

ShockingPink

Thanks everyone! Hurray - all our passports are machine-readable, and only my sister needs to apply for a new one (just to be on the safe side).

Never been to the States before; can't wait!:j

judderman62

You'll hate it - it's horrible .... and full of Yanks :eek:

Just kidding - I prefer California to NYC - though I was only in NyC for one or two nights - can't remember it was ages ago.

Gen up on it before you go - get some guide books ets (borrow from library to save money )

One thing I found a little odd was that the bank notes are all exactly the same size and colour irrespective of whether it's a 1 dollar bill or a 100 dollar bill - watch out for that

Hope you have a great time :beer:

ShockingPink wrote:

Thanks everyone! Hurray - all our passports are machine-readable, and only my sister needs to apply for a new one (just to be on the safe side).

Never been to the States before; can't wait!:j

jillie1974

the notes have changed now!!
$50 , $20 and $10 have goen a peachy/greeny/beige colour!!
so its much easier to tell them a part
and much more daring thanthe boring green/cream ones

(work sometime in FX bureau)

judderman62

'bout time they did that :rolleyes: :rotfl:

jillie1974 wrote:

the notes have changed now!!
$50 , $20 and $10 have goen a peachy/greeny/beige colour!!
so its much easier to tell them a part
and much more daring thanthe boring green/cream ones

(work sometime in FX bureau)

zappahey

trets77 wrote:

you can always get a quick new passport by arranging a personal appointment at your local passport office, or use the Post offices checking service for a passport in about a month.

I don't know where you got a month from. Ours came back in less than a week.

moonrakerz

jillie1974 wrote:

the notes have changed now!!
$50 , $20 and $10 have goen a peachy/greeny/beige colour!!
so its much easier to tell them a part
and much more daring thanthe boring green/cream ones

(work sometime in FX bureau)

You now have a better chance of giving the $5 tip you intended, rather than the $50 one you actually gave !

KizzyK_2

Ive got a machine readable passport and I hope to go to the States soon, is it better to have a Biometric passport?