EU Passport control legislation

Wonderful result of Brexit!

It would make sense for the rule not to apply on a child's 5 year passport, Cherrytree59, but who knows what they come up with? I might check it in a bit.

Does anyone know if this rule also applies to children's 5 year passport?

So, what happens if you have an Australian passport and one British? Can you overlap them?

When we travel outside Australia we are always told we must have at least 6 months left on our passports. It’s been that was for many years, except for New Zealand.

We are going to France fora week at the beginning of Sept to a family wedding. The bride is French.
My passport issue date is Oct so I should be in and out with 4 weeks to spare. The expiry date is Feb 2025 so I should be fine as it’s got longer than 3 months, or so I believe……….So why am I going to pick up a passport renewal form tomorrow?

Germanshepherdsmum

No you are not. A passport with those extra months falls foul of the rules.

Not necessarily.

A passport with extra months only becomes invalid for the EU if the issue date is more than 10 years prior to the date of departure. (And you have less than 3 months of the 10 years remaining)

It is the extra, carried forward months which are invalid now rather than the passport itself.

If you are going to anywhere in the EU for a weekend, week, fortnight and have return tickets, I really don't see why the passport has to be valid for three months after your return date.
Thst seems petty.

My nephew and his family were turned away today as they tried to go to France. Very disappointing. One passport did not pass the new rules.

A far cry from 1968, when I was working in Paris and a friend flew over for the weekend, without a passport. I talked passport control at Le Bourget into admitting her, and even managed to get her out again on the last flight before the big May '68 shutdown. I think her miniskirt might have helped.

Germanshepherdsmum

No you are not. A passport with those extra months falls foul of the rules.

You are completely correct, my son’s girlfriend was turned away around 2 years ago for this very reason!

My understanding is the passport has to be exactly 10 years AND have 6 months left on it at time of return travel

Its for passports predating 2018....eg my passport expiry date is June 2025 ...but was issued in December 2014 ...so only valid in Europe til December this year....and given airlines have different rules about how many months are needed on the return date....I will be renewing by June this year...so a whole year earlier than the actual expiry date on my passport...I think ryanair and easyjet is 3 months...but some other airlines request 6 months....so am taking no chances

I read an article earlier on this topic. It stated that hundreds of travellers per day are caught out and turned away from the airport.
With all due respect, I can't see why travellers don't check the rules over and over before turning up at the check in desks. I'm off to France next month and I've gone over the relevant paperwork 3 times this week, plus the travel documents - and that's just for the dog!!

My understanding is that UK passports for more than ten years where you are in the 10 year +window are deemed invalid by definition and will be rejected by EU countries and separately and independently if you have less than 3 months left on any valid UK passport this may also be rejected by EU countries and travel refused.
I don't know(or think I know) the rules for non -EU countries.

But, if you are going to Australia, NZ and some other countries, you need a visa too.

cibtvisas.com/blog/us-passport-validity-guide#:~:text=Some%20countries%20requiring%20six%20months,Israel%2C%20Egypt%2C%20and%20Turkey.

Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent at the Independent, said:

... "it's only the EU that cares about the issue date, if you're going to America, Australia, Tunisia they say your passport's valid up to and including the expiry date."

If someone is turned back at the airport Mr Calder said they were "absolutely not" covered and would not get their money back. "It's always the passengers' responsibility to make sure they are compliant."

My understanding is that you're not OK travelling to and from Europe, but maybe OK with the rest of the world?

Louella12

This has always been the case.

No it hasn't. Pre Brexit, it was common practice to renew your passport early, and get the additional months added on.

This has always been the case.

Astitchintime maybe you should double check yours if you are in any doubt. There’s plenty of time just now to get it renewed if needed before the summer rush gets underway. You’re username might be just right 😀

Yup, another Brexit bonus. The gift that keeps on giving.

Grannynannywanny

I read an article earlier on this topic. It stated that hundreds of travellers per day are caught out and turned away from the airport. To add to the confusion the online advance check in system has allowed them to check in with the problematic passport. Then they are told at the airport their passport is invalid.

Holidaymakers going to EU caught out by 10-year-passport rule www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68658209

This is the article that I read Granny. I have also completed my passport information with the holiday operator who claims everything is ok - I can just see things going horribly wrong in August

A ‘benifit’ of leaving the EU. Previously when you renewed you had any remaining months, up to 9 added to your 10 years. Now those added months don’t count, so it’s 10 years from when your passport was issued.
Also beware that returning from some countries require you to have more than 3 months left on your passport.
We renewed our over a year ago and lost about 9 months due not having enough left when we returned from our holiday.

If you renew a Passport now, any extra months are not included.