State Dept website says EU counties allow exits by US citizens when their US passports are valid within 90 days of completing a stay. A friend's is returning Oct 3 from France, his passport expires February 4, 2013, is the best advice that he review by rush mail?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19272 posts
Am I missing something? On October 3, 2012 his passport is still valid for 124 days. Are you afraid he won't be allowed to return to the US? I always thought it was that an EU country wouldn't allow someone to enter with a passport that is not valid for at least 90 more days.
Posted by
OP
san francisco, ca, usa
11 posts
State Dept says EU countries are part of an agreement, the Schegen (think that's it) which says US pastports must be valid 90 days from date of a completed stay, I was inquiring as to whether it more common travel sense to renew a passport using rush services, he is leave Sept. 18 returning Oct 3. he only has 3 1/2 weeks for processing the renewal.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5840 posts
So you are saying that your friend is a US citizen. He is traveling to France on Sept 18 and will return to the U.S. on October 3rd. Is that correct? If that is correct, then as Lee identified, his passport is valid for more than 90 days beyond his stay. There is no need for a rush renewal before he leaves.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2804 posts
His passport is fine, no need to renew it before he leaves.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19272 posts
The treaty is Schengen, for the town in which it was signed. It removes immigration barriers at national borders. Hence, one can travel from say, Germany to Austria to Italy without having to show their passport. Several non-EU countries, notably Switzerland, have signed the Schengen treaty, several EU countries, notably the UK, have not. It is Schengen that grants North Americans a "virtual visa" with only a passport, but limits their stay under that visa to 90 days, total, in any 180 day period.