Is this passport valid for travel?

michael1234 · 1 February at 10:59PM

So I just realised my child's passport expires on May 17 2026.

We were planning to travel to France from the UK on Feb 16 returning Feb 17.

Would this trip be allowed at the sea border in dover/calais ?

If not allowed, would leaving Feb 15 and returning Feb 16 be allowed ?

Woodstok2000 · 1 February at 11:38PM

This is the rule:

have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)

So either option you have proposed should be ok, but if you have a choice go a day earlier just to be sure!

michael1234 · 1 February at 11:50PM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81865741#Comment_81865741

So the "date you plan to leave the schengen area" would be February 17. 3 months after that is May 17.

So presumably the test is then is May 17 "at least 3 months" after February 17?

So I think that would mean you're right.

However, the French site uses the language:

A valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date;

So in my case the test would be: Is the passport "valid for at least 3 months after February 17"? Well three months later on May 17 it would NOT be valid as that is the date of expiry.

I'm definitely not going to risk this but it is annoying that the rules are not crystal clear. Each site (schgen, French, UK etc) seem to use different language.

Woodstok2000 · 2 February at 12:55AM

A passport is still valid on the date of expiry - it expires the moment you tick over to the next day, so if the expiry date is 17th May in your case, the passport is valid on 17th May, but not 18th May.

So I think both rules align, even if worded slightly differently. The concern is that there are so many stories of people with valid passports being declined boarding at airports etc, that it's a risk you probably want to avoid if you can.