Passport Validity Enq

masjntt1977

Hi

My daughters passport was issued 8/Feb/2017 and expires 8/Feb/2022.

we were hoping to travel to Spain next week with tui. 

I’m confused by the passport validity rules as I ve read on gov site that Spain only require 3 months validity on passport yet some sites state 6 months validity is required??

can anyone clarify please? I just get more confused each time I look.

Thank you 

Pollycat

Which websites have you read about a 6 month validity?

onashoestring

There is a passport validity checker on uk gov website here :

https://www.gov.uk/check-a-passport-travel-europe

Sandtree

This is a question of "validity" but entry requirements of Spain. 

As noted on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements, spain requires that the passport has 3 months validity from the planned end date of your visit.

Personally wouldn't look at "sites" but either stick to the FCO governmental site or if your language skills are up to it, the governmental website of the country you are visiting 

Pollycat

Sandtree said:

This is a question of "validity" but entry requirements of Spain. 

As noted on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements, spain requires that the passport has 3 months validity from the planned end date of your visit.

Personally wouldn't look at "sites" but either stick to the FCO governmental site or if your language skills are up to it, the governmental website of the country you are visiting 

That's why I asked the OP which websites state 6 months validity.
Could be Facebook  or similar.
GOV.UK is pretty clear.

masjntt1977

Sandtree said:

This is a question of "validity" but entry requirements of Spain. 

As noted on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements, spain requires that the passport has 3 months validity from the planned end date of your visit.

Personally wouldn't look at "sites" but either stick to the FCO governmental site or if your language skills are up to it, the governmental website of the country you are visiting 

Thank you- this is what I found too. The gov passport checker says that passport eligible for travel until at least 8th Aug 2021, tui website says requirements are 6th months remaining from departure date.

I cannot get through to a person at passport office via phone to check.

Based on what I ve read I think the requirements are 3 months but six months is recommended/ preferred, I just wanted to clarify if that is correct.

Sandtree

masjntt1977 said:

Sandtree said:

This is a question of "validity" but entry requirements of Spain. 

As noted on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements, spain requires that the passport has 3 months validity from the planned end date of your visit.

Personally wouldn't look at "sites" but either stick to the FCO governmental site or if your language skills are up to it, the governmental website of the country you are visiting 

Thank you- this is what I found too. The gov passport checker says that passport eligible for travel until at least 8th Aug 2021, tui website says requirements are 6th months remaining from departure date.

I cannot get through to a person at passport office via phone to check.

Based on what I ve read I think the requirements are 3 months but six months is recommended/ preferred, I just wanted to clarify if that is correct.

Its nothing to do with the passport office, according to them your passport is valid until the date shown as the end date, validity is an issue with UK passports because we allow up to 6 months of unused time to be transferred from one passport to another whereas most of the world recognises a passport being valid for a maximum of 10 years.

What you are asking about is about Spain's entry requirements for which the passport office will have no training on... you may as well ask them for tips on this evening's dog racing.

The ones you need to contact, if anyone, is TUI (or whichever airline you are flying) because their check in agents are the ones that will decide if they will let you board the plane or not (airlines get substantial fines for flying people who dont have right of entry to countries). Once you get to the Spanish border the FCO is clear on the current rules (as they understand them)

Pollycat

masjntt1977 said:

Sandtree said:

This is a question of "validity" but entry requirements of Spain. 

As noted on https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/entry-requirements, spain requires that the passport has 3 months validity from the planned end date of your visit.

Personally wouldn't look at "sites" but either stick to the FCO governmental site or if your language skills are up to it, the governmental website of the country you are visiting 

Thank you- this is what I found too. The gov passport checker says that passport eligible for travel until at least 8th Aug 2021, tui website says requirements are 6th months remaining from departure date.

I cannot get through to a person at passport office via phone to check.

Based on what I ve read I think the requirements are 3 months but six months is recommended/ preferred, I just wanted to clarify if that is correct.

Do you have a link to the TUI page that says this?

I wouldn't bother trying to get in touch with the passport office as they will just tell you the same as gov.uk.

masjntt1977

Thank you

This is the link from tui
https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/faq/how-long-will-my-passport-need-to-be-valid-for-when-i-travel?catId=265&subcatId=273&docId=1140

another link on .gov which refers to 6 months

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/passport-rules-for-travel-to-europe

but gov passport checker tool states the following 

Your passport is valid for travel to Europe until at least 8 August 2021

We recommend that for travel to most countries in Europe to ensure that your passport has at least 6 months remaining. This includes:

• the minimum 3 months validity required from the date that you return plus up to 90 days to travel without a visa and
• will be less than 10 years old from the date that you return

We want to travel after 8th Aug 2021.

I will keep trying Tui if I can get through today / thank you everyone 

eDicky

masjntt1977 said:

This is the link from tui
https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/faq/how-long-will-my-passport-need-to-be-valid-for-when-i-travel?catId=265&subcatId=273&docId=1140

The article is full of nonsense, right from the first sentence. Ignore it.

masjntt1977

Thank you. I have spoken to Tui and they have said that their guidelines state that have to have six months remaining and would not allow travel despite what the gov website states about entry requirements 🙁 xx