passport question

moonrakerz

catz747 wrote: »

This is quite useful regarding Spain:

http://travelguides.lastminute.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=location&loc_id=131116&sub_section=Passport/Visa

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all except:
(a) 1. EU/EEA nationals (EU + Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Swiss nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Dzug's post about the myth being perpetuated by the travel trade is well founded - I think this may well apply to travel websites.
Two minutes on the web and I find that citizens from USA/Canada/Australia/NZ only require a valid passport to enter Spain NOT one with 3 months validity remaining !

Andy_L

Have you noticed the radio advert about it taking longer to renew your passport, they use the example a lass missing out on a hen night in Dublin !!

BernadetteN

PabloNeruda wrote: »

Strictly speaking you don't even need a passport to visit Spain or any other EU country for that matter. Just a piece of photographic identification.

just a piece of photographic identification ..... which also is the best proof of your identity and nationality available. So just imagine what would happen if no-one needed a passport or national ID card to enter Spain? Go and visit Spain's 2 enclaves in Morocco and you will see why Spain requires people to prove their nationality and identity on its borders (including Schengen ones).

I am assuming you are confusing your right as an EU national for free movement throughout the EU, EEA and Switzerland? You cannot assume that this right comes without any need to prove your nationality which gives you such a right. Do you have EU national written on your forehead? No - so any Spanish official wishing to verify your right of free movement within its borders would wish to see your passport, national ID card or any other form of travel document accepted as proof of identity and nationality.

So strictly speaking, you ALWAYS need to prove your nationality and identity when travelling anywhere out of the UK (yes even in the Common Travel Area or UK, Ireland and the islands where a passport is NOT required but advisable). In exceptional circumstances, travel to and from Spain is allowed without passport/ID card etc but you still need to convince a border official of your nationality.

moonrakerz

BernadetteN wrote: »

just a piece of photographic identification ..... .

I am assuming you are confusing your right as an EU national for free movement throughout the EU, EEA and Switzerland?

Strictly speaking he is correct and ..

no he probably isn't confusing .....

You are totally correct when you say all you have to do is prove your identity and nationality (strictly speaking - you have a right to enter that country)

I've already discussed this previously on this site, ad nauseam, I think again it is probably inherent laziness:- "just say you need a passport" and "just say it needs to valid for 6 months after you leave - just in case !"

Unfortunately there is a lot of duff information around - a lot of it on the web, so unless you go to an authoritative site you are equally likely to get wrong info off the web as from "the man in the pub".

I've just looked at two travel websites - one says all EU nationals need passports to get into Spain (wrong !), the other, got that bit right but couldn't spell "Shengen" (sic).

seven-day-weekend

dzug wrote: »

The six months myth is perpetuated by some parts of the travel trade.

Cynic mode on

Because they cannot expect their semi-trained staff (and half their punters) to understand more than one item of information about passports, they say six months.

This means that no-one travelling with them will ever be turned away, anywhere in the world, for having an invalid passport.

The fact that loads of people will have unnecessarily renewed is not relevant - they too won't be turned away - goal achieved.

cynic mode off

My husband totally agrees with you - met the 'half trained staff' that you refer to!

Vampgirl

PabloNeruda wrote: »

Strictly speaking you don't even need a passport to visit Spain or any other EU country for that matter. Just a piece of photographic identification.

True.....but the "photographic identification" must be a passport or a national ID card (those are the only two options).

So....seeing as we don't have national ID cards in the UK (yet), our only option is a passport. Therefore we can safely say that British citizens need a passport to travel to EU countries.

modgit

We've just returned from Fuerteventura and my parents passports were both due in August. THe travel agent said "it should be ok", but wouldn't commit herself. The recorded announcement, however, at the Spanish Embassy confirmed it.
But, as guessed, it was never questioned.

HTH

judderman62

this thread is very, very scary and certain posters who are making themselves out to be oh so knowledgeable are giving out advice that they are not qualified to do so - if this were medical advice the mods would step in and put a stop to it.

OK I'll tell you why these so called semi trained travel staff advise six months ..... because it is darned good advice - that's why.

OK here's how it works - various countries have varying levels of requirements of how much validity they require on passports, some even have requirements of there needing to be xx blank pages left.

Here's where it gets interesting - it is, however, the carrying airline that is held responsible for ensuring that the passengers have the required documentation and that it is all valid and in order. If they carry someone who's documentation is not as should be THEY GET FINED - so what tends to sometimes happen is that airlines tend to be over cautious and will ask for more validity than the country concerned actually requires. If passengers do not have the validity that the airline wants ... they deny boarding and you go home.

It happens folks.


Will you definitely have a problem... No
Will you get through ...possibly yes
is it worth the risk of missing out on your holiday/business trip and loosing the costs involved if you are denied boarding... I think not.


This is why these "semi trained" travel staff give you the benefit of their knowledge, training and experience .... of course if you'd rather take the advice of a chemist/green grocer/accountant/ambulance driver ...............

judderman62

moonrakerz wrote: »

Who dreams up all this rubbish about passport validity ?

If you are visiting an EU country (and the the USA - and practically every country on the planet) your passport needs to be valid for the duration of your stay - not one day longer !

Moonrakerz I have corrected you before on this matter why do you continue to give out information to people that could potentially cost them their holidays/business trip and money ??

To the OP please also see my post (post no 8) in this thread:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=367275&highlight=validity
for a little more info than I have given in my post above.

These are genuine cases - as I say the choice is yours - trust my advice - 28 years in the Industry (most of it in business travel and for some of the big boys) or believe moonrakerz ... makes no difference to me .

That said - and I won't be making a habit of this (when I get home form work I'm off duty) - if you want to ask any more questions feel free to PM me.

Hope you get to have your holiday and enjoy it

Coupon-mad

[quote=judderman62;5781803]
it is, however, the carrying airline that is held responsible for ensuring that the passengers have the required documentation and that it is all valid and in order. If they carry someone who's documentation is not as should be THEY GET FINED - so what tends to sometimes happen is that airlines tend to be over cautious and will ask for more validity than the country concerned actually requires. If passengers do not have the validity that the airline wants ... they deny boarding and you go home.
quote]



Well said judderman62.

I was reading this thread with some alarm that no-one had pointed out that it's the Airline's responsibility that passengers have the right documents. They will get fined, as you say, if they allow even one passenger through with unacceptable documentation, so if there is any doubt then they have no qualms in turning a passenger away. The fine is thousands, the wrath of the 'wronged' passenger, nothing in comparison.

A close relative of mine works in Airline Security. If in doubt a passenger could check with the Airline as well as the Embassy, but why not just renew a passport if there is time before travalling, it would need renewing soon anyway.