Passport validation - 6 months or 12 months needed on UK passport?

Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 2:13pm

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HI all, quick question for clarification as this forum has been really helpful previously. All information I can locate on the web (including UK and Spanish govt. sites), says UK citizens need at least 6 months left on their passports to enter Spain. When i use the actual checker the gov.uk site and enter my passport expiry details (end of Mar '22), it says it is not valid for travel to Spain from Mar '21 (and so suggesting you need 12 months left).

Can anyone help solve the riddle for me?

Regards

Alan

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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 2:38pm

GrahamLynn

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Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 2:38pm

Pre 2018 if you renewed your passport in advance you got the additional months tagged on to your passport. So in effect your passport could have have an expiry date up to 10 years and 9 months from the date of issue

From 2018 onwards passports have an expiry date no longer than 10 years after the date of issue.

The EU will only accept a passport issued by a third country that’s valid for ten years.
EU say you also must travel with 6 months left on your passport.

So from the dates you have said, I guess your passport was issued in September 2011, it’s therefore valid to travel for 10 years from the date of issue which gives you an expiry date of September 2021.

Knock off the 6 months you need to enter Spain and that gives you your date of March 2021.

Passports changed 2018, but the rule has only come in force since January Brexit.

Lynn

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:48pm

BryanMc

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Joined: 2 May 2019

Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:48pm

Yes I’ve had the same problem. Passport shows expiry july 22. It actually expired in April 21. My passport was issued Oct 2011. Checked date on yougov site after seeing a Facebook post. People have been refused boarding at the airport due to this despite submitting passport details for COVID tests in advance.