traveling to London on passport that expires in August 2011

Wouldn't it be wonderful that when you get to customs they turn you around and deny entry. Get your passport renewed. Most tourists are allowed 6 months within a country. They see your passport may expire and then there may be an issue getting you back to where you belong. I don't specifically know what the UK will do but do you want to take a chance?

have you contacted the UK consulate to ask? I agree- why wait, get your updated passport now.

The UK has no "expiration" rule...your passport simply needs to be valid for the duration of your stay. So you're good to go. From the UK Consulate in Washington DC: "Your passport or EEA National Identity Card must be valid for the duration of your stay in the UK" http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Travel-tips/Customs-and-immigration/ Visitbritan.com is an official UK govt. website you get redirected to it from the consulate site.

Thanks, Michael. I'll check out the site. The other posters make sense but I don't have time to get another passport. I was hoping that someone who has gone through UK customs with a passport expiring soon will post. Thanks to all. I'm surprised more info isn't available on this one way or the other.
Mary

For questions such as this, I like to go to the US State Department website. For the UK, the website says the following (reiterating what Michael said): "ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: While some countries impose a minimum passport validity of three, six, or nine months for arriving passengers, there is no such requirement for the United Kingdom. U.S. citizens seeking entry as tourists or visitors are simply required to present a valid passport, as explained on the website of the UK Border Agency." The direct link, along with more information, can be found here: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1052.html#entry_requirements

Let us know how it all works out. I work for a UK based company and they have all employees open to international travel (at their expense) get their passports renewed 6 months before their expiration date. They just renewed mine with a year left on it.

Mary, I'd apply for a renewal, just to eliminate the chance that you'll end up debating UK passport policy with a UK border agent. That's a debate you'll lose.

There is an expedited service that guarantees 2-3 weeks delivery, for which you pay an extra $60. We recently renewed my daughter's passport using this expedited service - dropped off the information at the post office/passport facility on a Monday, and received the new passport 9 days later on Wednesday. Depending on when you leave in May, that may be an option. My brother realized one day before his recent trip that he had lost his passport, and managed to get a replacement passport in a day at the Minneapolis facility! So renewal can happen quickly if necessary.
On the other hand, as several posters have pointed out, the UK does not seem to have the 6-month requirement.

Note too that UK policy doesn't apply if you are actually entering the EU somewhere else, such as Iceland/Amsterdam or some other hub. Your passport will be evaluated when you enter the EU, whether or not that stop is your final destination.

I researched the same question last month and came up with the same answer as Michael and Angela. If you check the links they listed to see for yourself, I don't know why you would worry. Rick's book is correct, but unfortunately is causing you needless concern, as England is clearly not one of those countries.

Wow, I'd still renew it. Who knows what can go wrong. I once got dinged in Heathrow a few years ago for rules that were only applied at that airport and no other that I had been in the states or Europe. If your leaving in a few days, then I guess that your mind is made up and good luck. If, however, your leaving at the end of the month, then why not expedite it and have the security. You're going to need one for certain in a few months, anyway.

In writing the US Govt has said the passport is valid to travel to the UK, the British Govt has said the passport is kosher, and the airline (which will be fined for transporting anyone without proper passports/visas) has said the passport is okay, yet some people still doubt all this....wow:) More and more countries are eliminating their passport expiration rules....the UK isn't alone. Germany, Belgium, and Luxemburg also only require passports be valid for the duration of the stay. It's the wave of the future; get used to it:)

Michael, your post made me giggle! It all seemed so cut and dried to me...