I just found out that a country can deny access to you if your passport is due to expire in less than 6 months. We will be traveling starting next week and my oldest daughter's passport will be 3 days short of 6 months when we take the night train from Munich to Venice.
I called AAA and they said it shouldn't be a problem because we have return tickets (5 days later) and we're traveling as a family, and that it's only 3 days. I tried to call the Italian consulate in SF, but can't get real person on the line.
Does anyone have any experience with this issue??
Posted by
Indianapolis, Indiana, usa
360 posts
You're traveling in a week - what are your choices? My passport was to expire 2 months after my last trip which was to Amsterdam & Paris. I called several airlines & learned that the Netherlands have a 3 month rule & France, none. I renewed before going as I was flying into Amsterdam. I traveled by train between the 2 cities & don't recall anyone coming thru checking passports at the French border. Do they do that anymore? I wouldn't worry.
Posted by
McKinney, TX, USA
10 posts
You can get a passport in 2-3 days using an expediting service (my daughter did this last fall as they weren't going to let her get on the flight to Germany otherwise). It does cost a pretty penny. I wouldn't chance it myself.
S
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
The issue arises at the airport where you'll be touching down in Europe...not crossing from Germany to Italy, since there are no border controls. But I tend to agree with your AAA agent...with return tickets a couple of days after the 6-month period, I don't think there'd be a problem. If you're arriving in Germany, they only require that the passport not expire before the end of your journey...France is three months. So once you're in one of the Schengen countries, you're in.
Posted by
OP
San Ramon, CA, USA
4 posts
We're flying into London, then taking trains down through to Rome and then home from there. Any experience with the UK and a time limit?
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
This is a serious question that could threaten to cancel your vacation. It requires serious answers from professionals who deal in facts...not ideas. As helpful as this board is, I would not base my decisions on information gathered from here. Contact the specific countries' embassies in where you plan to travel and talk to someone there. If they are not sure then get a contact from "them". You really don't want to leave this up to chance...and DEFINITELY not AAA.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Actually, Jennie, you just need to contact the embassy of the Schengen country you'll be arriving in to see what their policy is. Once you're granted entry into a Schengin country, you have an automatic 90-day permission to stay as a tourist. With the backlog at passport offices, I'm not sure that even your congressman or senator could help you get passports renewed in time.
Posted by
irvine
112 posts
Jennie, you may have already left on your trip
but this is the website for the NY office, posted
by another reader.
http://tinyurlcom/2ud3j7
It states 3 mos. YOU should call your airline and
they have a website that is updated all the time
that tells if you can travel on that passport.
Cars are not stopped at the borders so it should
be the same on the trains.
Have a wonderful time.
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
I think this big passport processing backlog as reported in the news refers to new applications. Friends of mine got their passports renewed (California) in just a couple of weeks.
Posted by
irvine
112 posts
It applys to renewed also. I have a friend that
applied in late march and still hasn't re-
ceived it. Maybe your friend had theirs
expedited. It might ease up now because they
extended the time for pp from Mexico, Canada, etc.