Flying within the EU

[undikey]

how long do I have to have left on my passport if I am travelling within the EU? I have vaguely heard something about 6 months, but is this true?

[spudqueen]

I'm pretty sure that you can renew your passport when it's got 3-6 months left and it will have be valid for 10 years from when your old one runs out - why don't you contact the passport office?

[dzug]

I don't think 6 months is true for the EU - 3 maybe but it will vary by country and some will just want something unexpired. In fact I believe Spain (only) will accept a recently expired one. (Your airline may not though)

A few months of unused time on your old passport will be added to the validity of your new one. Added to which fees go up on 1 December - so renew now.

[kempie]

This from the UK Passport Service website:

"For all the countries of Europe (apart from the Irish Republic) people travelling from the United Kingdom need to have a valid passport to comply with immigration and other controls. Some continental European countries have abandoned routine passport checks at their frontiers but they all expect visitors to be able to provide evidence of identity and nationality by way of a valid passport or national identity card while in their country. British travellers must therefore have a (valid) standard 10-year British passport."

As dzug mentions, airlines will probably insist on a valid passport and you can renew your passport up to 9 months prior to its expiration - link.

[chazza]

You should check with the embassy of the country you are going to as i t varies from country to country

[funnywebsite]

It depends on the country and varies per holiday brochure. I went to Kenya last year and it said in one brochure you must have 6 months left on your passport. Another brochure said you must have 3 months. I asked the embassy and they said 3 months. It does shows you you cannot believe everything you read. If it is nearly due maybe get it now, it's going up from 1 December. I need to get mine done but I keep forgetting to get the form from the P.O.