You can imagine the nightmare of remembering to take everything that you need to the airport, only to find that your passport has been refused, even though it is in date. Well, this nightmare recently became a reality for one Easyjet passenger who was boarding a flight to Cyprus from Gatwick airport, only to be turned away despite having eight weeks left on his passport. The airline has maintained that turning the passenger away was a one off mistake, but it left travellers panicking about the ticking clock on their passports. So, what do you need to know about your passport expiry date?
Always check your documents
Everyone checks to see that they have the right passport and hasn’t accidentally picked up their partner/friend/parents instead, but very few people actually think to check the expiration date because of how long they last. You may just glance at the year, but ensure to check out the week and month.
Be aware of passport fees if you need to renew as it can be costly.
The ‘three month’ myth
Some travellers seem to believe that as long as your passport has at least three months left on it, you’ll be fine to travel. However, three months isn’t necessary, you just need to have a valid passport for the length of your stay (i.e. a week).
According to the Foreign and Commonwealth office:
“For stays of up to three months your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this.”
So, what happens if you travel and your passport is due to expire the next day? Well, naturally this is not advised, but you would have to contact the local embassy for a new or temporary passport, within the EU.
Outside of the EU
When you travel outside of the EU, things can get more complicated. Some countries do insist on travellers having 3-6 months left on their passport.
Countries which require 6 months of validity: Brazil, Turkey, Ecuador, Israel and Tunisia.
New Zealand: Tourists visiting New Zealand must have a valid passport one month after the date of exit, as well as an onward ticket.
South Africa: When visiting South Africa, your passport should be valid for a minimum of 30 days from the date of exit.
Blank pages
The number of blank pages that you should have left on your passport is also an issue. Travellers with one page remaining have reported waiting hours in immigration in some countries. In most countries, there are no rules. A spokesperson for the UK Passport Office said:
“If you are going to a country where you need a visa, you should find out during the application process how many blank pages you need.”
It’s recommended that you have at least two blank pages left on your passport.
If you have any issues with your passport’s expiry date make sure to call the Passport Office phone number for UK Passport Renewal.
