6 month validity on UK passports to enter the USA

hansi

Has the ruling changed on this please? We have booked a USA holiday for next January returning in February, and my wife's passport expires in July. As there is such a mess and backlog at the Passport Office, I do not like the idea of sending the passport for renewal, as we're going away in October, and wouldn't be able to renew till Novenber which is cutting it fine. The last time I checked, the only requirement was that the passport be valid at the time of admssion to the USA. Is this still so?

Caz3121

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa/entry-requirements

ferf1223

Also a US site for good measure (I know the UK site is correct and links the US site)

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/572/

Visitors traveling to the U.S. are required to be in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the U.S. See list of countries exempt from the six month requirement.

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/104770.pdf

Counter

hansi wrote: »

Has the ruling changed on this please? We have booked a USA holiday for next January returning in February, and my wife's passport expires in July. As there is such a mess and backlog at the Passport Office, I do not like the idea of sending the passport for renewal, as we're going away in October, and wouldn't be able to renew till Novenber which is cutting it fine. The last time I checked, the only requirement was that the passport be valid at the time of admssion to the USA. Is this still so?

I know the other posters have already answered this question, but just to add some anecdotal evidence. I travelled to the USA for one week last September on a passport that expired three days after I returned home and had no issues.

pogofish

IIRC you can currently renew up to nine months ahead and they will add the validity to your new passport - Its explained/linked on some of the other recent passport renewal threads.

duchy

ferf1223 wrote: »

Also a US site for good measure (I know the UK site is correct and links the US site)

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/572/

Visitors traveling to the U.S. are required to be in possession of passports that are valid for six months beyond the period of their intended stay in the U.S. See list of countries exempt from the six month requirement.

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/104770.pdf

Unless on a visa waiver basically

(I entered the US with 4 days remaining and left of the very last day......It did cross my mind that if my flight was delayed or cancelled things might have got interesting but ultimately I was leaving so decided they wouldn't be too fussed so long as I could prove the flight had been delayed and it wasn't an intentional overstay)


When I worked for Thomas Cook I got into big trouble for telling a customer who would have 5 months left at the end of their US holiday that they didn't need a new passport. The manager threw a blue fit and insisted they needed to renew as Thomas Cook are lazy and tell everyone 6 months for everything rather than check specific regulations (She was bipolar anyway-and extremely volatile) so if booking with TC in Kent don't believe everything they tell you )

benjus

pogofish wrote: »

IIRC you can currently renew up to nine months ahead and they will add the validity to your new passport - Its explained/linked on some of the other recent passport renewal threads.

Although with all the backlogs and strikes, you may not want to risk a renewal if you're travelling any time soon.

penguingirl

Are you likely to want a summer holiday next year as well as your US trip? If you do, I'd be inclined to do the renewal before you go to the US so you don't have to rush it next year. We go to the US in September and my passport expires in February- I intend on renewing when we get back so I'll be all sorted for any holidays in 2015. You have 5 months, so even with backlogs/ strikes it is still plenty of time to get it done.

photome

pogofish wrote: »

IIRC you can currently renew up to nine months ahead and they will add the validity to your new passport - Its explained/linked on some of the other recent passport renewal threads.

penguingirl wrote: »

Are you likely to want a summer holiday next year as well as your US trip? If you do, I'd be inclined to do the renewal before you go to the US so you don't have to rush it next year. We go to the US in September and my passport expires in February- I intend on renewing when we get back so I'll be all sorted for any holidays in 2015. You have 5 months, so even with backlogs/ strikes it is still plenty of time to get it done.

The OP did say in the post that they are away in October and cant renew until november, and then go to USA in January meaning they only have 2 months not 5

OP you will be fine, it makes sense to renew when you return in February

Cyberman60

If you have less that 6 months they may well not let you fly although if you go under 6 months while away you will be ok.

You can renew by fast-track service according to the official website. Special arrangements are in place for those travelling imminently due to the usual strikes and public sector inefficiency.

Voyager2002

Cyberman60 wrote: »

If you have less that 6 months they may well not let you fly although if you go under 6 months while away you will be ok.

No way! If you have adequate documentation for your visit then you will not have a problem.

Any airline that denied boarding to a passenger in this situation would face fines and be required to pay that passenger punitive compensation.