Passport Question

What nationality are you (what country issued your passport)?

The Czech Republic is part of the Schengen Area, as are Austria and Germany. Between Schengen Area countries there are no passport checks. Your passport will be checked once when you enter the Schengen Area, and again when you leave.
Beyond that I cannot say as I don't know what passport you have.

Good Point. US passport......ray

The official story from the Czech government website is here: http://www.mvcr.cz/mvcren/article/third-country-nationals-travelling-in-the-eu-schengen.aspx
The rule is your passport must be valid 3 months past planned your exit date. Some countries assume the worst, you will stay for your maximum allowable 90 days, so your pass port must be valid 90 days + 3 months from your entry date. Either way you are valid, 17th Feb + 6 months = 17th August.
The reason for all this is they want to be sure they you have somewhere to go home to. Some countries are fussy, and don't let people back without a valid passport.
Maybe Mexico should try this tactic, nobody accepted back without a passport.

Thank You Chris!

I would verify your passport information with the airline you are flying. They have a carriage responsibility to assure that all passengers will meet the minimum entry requirements of the destination and incur travel costs and a potential penalty if you are turned away at the border, so they take things seriously.

In a more practical sense, if they refuse you boarding because they interpret your passport to not meet requirements, your trip hits a major snag. Talk to them.

Another point to make regarding the Schengen countries, when travelling on the 90 in 180 Visa Waiver, your destination country and their rules may not matter if you first touch ground say in Paris or Amsterdam to transfer planes, the officials there will make the decision, the Czech officials will likely never see your passport.

Thanks Paul - We are landing in Paris, France then to Prague. My US passport expires Aug 27, 2017 which should be fine according to state department website. 3-months post my departure date. Thoughts? Ray

I will call the airline....

Turns out we fly in through Amsterdam and home through France... Netherlands requires 6-months according to state department and I return on March 5, 2017 and my US Passport expires Aug 27, 2017. I have a ticket with a through booking to Prague. Will they check my passport in the Netherlands. I am not an experienced traveler.

If I have a return ticket for March 5 will I get through passport control in Amsterdam?
If I go to the US passport office in San Francisco, Can I get a same day (with 24 hours) passport?

Ray

Aha, new information. If you are changing planes in Amsterdam, that is where you enter the Schengen Area and where your passport will be examined and stamped. Netherlands to Czech Republic is an intra-Schengen flight, no passport checks.
As Paul says, the airline may be over-cautious and refuse you boarding even if you are legal. They do not want to pay fines or have to transport you back, safer to just refuse you.

I would be shlightly dubious about trusting a US government website. It is not them writing or enforcing the rules, what they say is merely heresay (as is everthing on this website!).

The six month requirement will be tightly enforced by your airline because they will be heavily fined if your country of arrival refuses you entry due to insufficient time remaining on your documents. I was caught by this late last year where the airline refused to allow me on the plane - and the expiration was only 2 days short of 6 months. I was able to get a last minute renewal and made the trip only because the airline was nice enough to not charge me a change fee and put me on the next flight after I got my new passport.

Mar 5 to Aug 27 is not 6 months. Get a new passport.

Thanks Mark

I am flying Delta/KLM through Amsterdam with passport info as indicated above. I have contacted the airlines directly ( 3different people) via phone (both Delta and KLM - Dutch airline). Also entered my info on KLM website and all have assured me I'm good to go.

I am attempting to get new passport to be safe but getting through to SF office and 2-3 other services but due to immigration issue in US these offices are swamped. No one has gotten back to me.

Any suggestions other than showing up on their doorstep?

Ray

Any additional advice?

I showed up at their door. Since I had a ticket for travel that day, they were able to fit me in (they were not very happy about it but did get in). Make sure you have all the required renewal paperwork and photos ready when you arrive. I can't guarantee they will do anything for you, but it did work out for me.