Passport nearing expiry

eDicky

photome wrote: »

I thought you could return to the UK on an expired British passport from anywhere.

What's the alternative

An ETD (Emergency Travel Document). Outside of the EU you are unlikely to be able to embark with an expired passport. UK passport renewal in a foreign country is in general no longer possible, unless you reside or at least have a valid address there.

https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

Enterprise_1701C

peachyprice wrote: »

As above, you can travel homewards on an expired passport, even one with '24 hours' left. In fact as a passport is not required for travel within the EU, it's only because the UK was too paranoid to have ID cards that we need one, no other EU members need to take their passports with them when travelling within the bloc, you could still use an expired passport to leave the UK if the airlines/ferries would let you.

Actually, that is because we are not part of Schengen area, our borders are not only with eu countries anyway. Whatever anyone argues it would be impractical for us to be part of the Schengen area, and it would appear many of the eu countries are regretting that move anyway.

peachyprice

Enterprise_1701C wrote: »

Actually, that is because we are not part of Schengen area, our borders are not only with eu countries anyway. Whatever anyone argues it would be impractical for us to be part of the Schengen area, and it would appear many of the eu countries are regretting that move anyway.

If it's because we're not part of Schengen why do other EU nationals not need passports to come here? They are free to enter on their ID cards. If we had ID cards we could travel around the EU using them.

Manxman_in_exile

Geoff1963 wrote: »

I collected a passport, 24 hours before my train left St Pancras ; I wouldn't want to be trying to get back after some emergency, with only 24 hours left.

Yes - but if we go to Amsterdam in December I'll still have two months on my passport. I'm not worried about cutting it fine, I was worried about some "stories" I'd heard that you needed at least 6 months left on your passport. Apparently not so within the EU.

Manxman_in_exile

Thanks for all the replies.


Just to add, I find the Schengen question confusing. Prior to 2013 I'd not been abroad for 30(!) years. We were travelling back from Stockholm via Schiphol and were waiting at Schiphol for our UK departure to be announced. We were already in the "Departures" area and assumed we were through all security etc. When we realised our flight had been called we hurried to the gate and were horrified to find we had to go through security again, nearly missing our flight! Security staff at Schiphol explained this was "because" UK was not part of Schengen.


This happened the next time at Schiphol, although we were prepared this time. The last few times we've flown from Schiphol we've only gone through security once.


Was it because the first two times we were flying via Schiphol rather than originating there? (Even though when we were "via" we were still coming from another EU country?)

benjus

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.


Just to add, I find the Schengen question confusing. Prior to 2013 I'd not been abroad for 30(!) years. We were travelling back from Stockholm via Schiphol and were waiting at Schiphol for our UK departure to be announced. We were already in the "Departures" area and assumed we were through all security etc. When we realised our flight had been called we hurried to the gate and were horrified to find we had to go through security again, nearly missing our flight! Security staff at Schiphol explained this was "because" UK was not part of Schengen.


This happened the next time at Schiphol, although we were prepared this time. The last few times we've flown from Schiphol we've only gone through security once.


Was it because the first two times we were flying via Schiphol rather than originating there? (Even though when we were "via" we were still coming from another EU country?)

It's a while since I was at Schiphol, but the typical configuration of airports in Schengen countries is that you go through security to the departure lounge. There are a number of gates directly accessible from the departure lounge for domestic flights and flights to other Schengen countries. Then there are gates for non-Schengen countries - in most countries you have to pass through immigration control to reach these.

Was it definitely a second security check that you had to go through and not immigration?

eDicky

In 2013 security checks at Schiphol were carried out at the individual boarding gates, they are now centralised before entry to departures.

It was probably immigration that you encountered to get to your UK flight, coming from the Schengen area of departures into the non-Schengen area. You then had a security check at the boarding gate, but that was the same for any flight.

Manxman_in_exile

photome wrote: »

You dont need to, but you get up to months added on anyway so as you are within 9 months, no harm in replacing it

This is what prompted my OP. I don't want to replace it now because I honestly don't know whether to renew my British - Isle of Man passport or just to get a UK passport. (Apols if incorrect terminology).


I suspect there is no difference in my case as I have grandparents born in the UK. But for Manx nationals who have no such connection with the UK there are problems with an "Isle of Man" passport as they have no right of residence etc in the EU.


I'm proud of my Manx nationality (as evidenced by my username) but I'm not sure whether with Brexit etc. it's better to jump UK or Isle of Man. (Don't laugh - in some quarters of the Isle of Man there is talk about joining the Irish Republic or a possible independent Scotland to stay in the EU. DON'T LAUGH!)

Manxman_in_exile

benjus wrote: »

It's a while since I was at Schiphol, but the typical configuration of airports in Schengen countries is that you go through security to the departure lounge. There are a number of gates directly accessible from the departure lounge for domestic flights and flights to other Schengen countries. Then there are gates for non-Schengen countries - in most countries you have to pass through immigration control to reach these.

Was it definitely a second security check that you had to go through and not immigration?

OK - that makes sense. I interpreted it as a second security check, but perhaps it was immigration. I hadn't been abroad for 30 years so maybe my misunderstanding.

Manxman_in_exile

eDicky wrote: »

In 2013 security checks at Schiphol were carried out at the individual boarding gates, they are now centralised before entry to departures.

It was probably immigration that you encountered to get to your UK flight, coming from the Schengen area of departures into the non-Schengen area. You then had a security check at the boarding gate, but that was the same for any flight.

Thank you. I think that this adequately explains our experiences at Schiphol in 2013 and subsequently. The last few times we have departed from there, security is a centralised one-off.


Thanks