Passport

[deeandgee]

Hi Everyone. My son is travelling to Greece in three weeks. He turned 18 in april but his five year child passport doesnt expire until October 2014.

Am I right in believing that he doesnt need to apply for an adult one until this one expires and that his travel plans are ok ?
I have spoken to the passport office but they not very clear on their reply sayaing i need to check with the country hes travelling to.
My issue isnt about hte country its about th validity of his passport HELP

[knowabit]

Some countries will not let you in, depending on how much time is left on your passport. You do need to check the rules with Greece.

[ummmm]

Google the country he's travelling to. Some insist on 6 months remaining. Some are fine as long it's in date when he leaves.

I don't think my passport has ever studied. My name and photo. Although one time, in Ireland, passport control did ask me what I was doing in the west :-)

[Prudie]

I agree, it's not this country who cares about your passport, it's where you're going. This country only makes a deal about it because airlines etc may get fined by the receiving country if they send people off with invalid passports.

[deeandgee]

Thanks Ive checked the Greece Foreign travel page and thats all ok but what i was more concerned of is that he was 18 in april and his passport (a five year child passport) that was issued when he was 13 expires in October14. Although if they expire on their 18th birthday then i suppose that would show as the expiry date. Think im over worrying this one !

[ummmm]

It's issued for 5 years. That won't make a difference. It's valid until it runs out.

[deeandgee]

Thank You !!!

[ABerrant]

"Although if they expire on their 18th birthday then i suppose that would show as the expiry date."

16 is the transition age when applying for an adult passport, so you are 2 years too late in starting to worry about this ;-D

[New Judge]

The passport is valid until it expires - its validity is not determined by the age of the holder. Passports for children are issued until they are "within a few weeks" of their sixteenth birthday (though "a few weeks" is not defined) so theoretically a child's passport could last until they are almost 21.

Within the EU there are no requirements to have a passport with a validity longer than the date of the last journey being undertaken. It can expire on the day you return to the UK and you can still travel.