Is the passport effective until expiry date?
Jun 15th, 2016, 05:52 AM
#1
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Is the passport effective until expiry date?
The whole question is pretty short:
I'd like to enter Finland, and I myself am a Bulgarian citizen. I only need to go there for 2 days, around the 20th July, and my passport is valid until 27th. So, the question is - can I make the visit and renew my passport? Or are there any constraints like "your passport is has to be valid a couple of months after you plan to leave"?
I've seen constraints like these, when people talk about visas, but I'm not so sure, whether there are any similar details when travelling to a EU country with an EU passport.
If anyone could point me to some documents or statements, or share own experience, please do.
inb4 renew your passport now - I'm living in russia at the moment, and renewing my documents in the embassy is too slow, so I'm not going to make it for the potential trip on 20th of July.
I'd like to enter Finland, and I myself am a Bulgarian citizen. I only need to go there for 2 days, around the 20th July, and my passport is valid until 27th. So, the question is - can I make the visit and renew my passport? Or are there any constraints like "your passport is has to be valid a couple of months after you plan to leave"?
I've seen constraints like these, when people talk about visas, but I'm not so sure, whether there are any similar details when travelling to a EU country with an EU passport.
If anyone could point me to some documents or statements, or share own experience, please do.
inb4 renew your passport now - I'm living in russia at the moment, and renewing my documents in the embassy is too slow, so I'm not going to make it for the potential trip on 20th of July.
Jun 15th, 2016, 06:03 AM
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It varies by country so you will specifically need to look up info for Finland to see if they are one of the countries that require a certain amount of time left on a passport. In some places it's up to 6 months. I would also add that even if they are not, you are potentially cutting it a bit fine in case of illness or travel disruption that means you have no choice but to overstay.
Jun 15th, 2016, 06:37 AM
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Here are the conditions for a Belgian to enter US. I googled 'USA Belgique passeport validité' : http://french.belgium.usembassy.gov/..._program2.html
I propose you do the same in Bulgarian with 'Bulgary passport validity Finland'.
You should get the info.
I propose you do the same in Bulgarian with 'Bulgary passport validity Finland'.
You should get the info.
Jun 15th, 2016, 06:37 AM
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Every country has a "Renew By" date for passports. If your return flight does not comply with the country's rules, the airline has the right to refuse your boarding their plane. And, unless the airline overlooks your expiration date in the security-check process, you can count on them to enforce the rules.
People who ignore the "Renew By" date are often left behind. Not only do they lose their flight reservation, they must pay for a new ticket, remain in the country at their own cost, and wait for their passport to be renewed. Those who have endured this time-consuming and costly process speak about the horror for the rest of their life.
The best advice: stay on top of your passport renewal, no matter what it costs.
People who ignore the "Renew By" date are often left behind. Not only do they lose their flight reservation, they must pay for a new ticket, remain in the country at their own cost, and wait for their passport to be renewed. Those who have endured this time-consuming and costly process speak about the horror for the rest of their life.
The best advice: stay on top of your passport renewal, no matter what it costs.
Jun 15th, 2016, 07:09 AM
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The founding treaties confer on ALL EU citizens free movement within the Union.
All EU citizens (except those of us who don't hold with such things), need only a national identity card to enter a Schengen country.
Self-evidently, this applies to Bulgarians as much as to the rest of the EU and EEA:
http://formin.finland.fi/public/defa...&culture=en-US
As a matter of general policy, NEVER rely on official information on such matters issued by an English-speaking country. Britain and Ireland believe - rightly - that ID cards are an unacceptable intrusion into citizens' freedom, so their foreign ministries give information only for people who need passports to travel to Schengen. The non-European English-speaking countries give advice for their citizens, who don't have our rights in the EU.
All previous posters appear to be American.
All EU citizens (except those of us who don't hold with such things), need only a national identity card to enter a Schengen country.
Self-evidently, this applies to Bulgarians as much as to the rest of the EU and EEA:
http://formin.finland.fi/public/defa...&culture=en-US
As a matter of general policy, NEVER rely on official information on such matters issued by an English-speaking country. Britain and Ireland believe - rightly - that ID cards are an unacceptable intrusion into citizens' freedom, so their foreign ministries give information only for people who need passports to travel to Schengen. The non-European English-speaking countries give advice for their citizens, who don't have our rights in the EU.
All previous posters appear to be American.
Jun 15th, 2016, 09:04 AM
#7
Flanner - Year ago I was shocked when my German penfriend said that she didn't have a passport but she said that she'd been told that it was ok to travel to the UK on her german ID card and it was. Her German ID card worked just the same as my much more expensive UK passport.
but it is very good advice to renew your passport before it runs out - you don't want to be caught out by a strike or flood or worse.
but it is very good advice to renew your passport before it runs out - you don't want to be caught out by a strike or flood or worse.
Jun 15th, 2016, 09:17 PM
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Then I understood OP's question and not your answer. I must be thick today.
I can travel with an ID from Europe to Europe ?
Why did I need a passport to go to Ukraine ? Would Ukrainians enter Shcnegen with an ID and me I need a passpoort?
I am no specialist so I would let OP check more thoroughly - consulates exist, and Bulgaria probably posted somewhere what to do and what is needed.
Never ever listen to internet forum travel when it goes to legal advice.
I can travel with an ID from Europe to Europe ?
Why did I need a passport to go to Ukraine ? Would Ukrainians enter Shcnegen with an ID and me I need a passpoort?
I am no specialist so I would let OP check more thoroughly - consulates exist, and Bulgaria probably posted somewhere what to do and what is needed.
Never ever listen to internet forum travel when it goes to legal advice.
Jun 17th, 2016, 05:00 PM
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When leaving Switzerland in April for the US, the immigration(?) officer at the airport cautioned me that I 'only' had 9 months left on my passport, and would not be allowed back in Switzerland if I traveled later than this summer. So for 'that' country, it looks like less than 6 MONTHS remaining was a problem!
Jun 17th, 2016, 09:26 PM
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"I can travel with an ID from Europe to Europe ? "
Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (and most of the West European microstates) need only proof of their citizenship to visit other countries in this group. This can be a national ID card (for those who allow their governments to impose such tyrannical impertinences on their citizenry) - or, for EU citizens travelling within the Union, an expired passport.
For the avoidance of doubt: Ukraine is NOT an EU member state, and is unlikely to be one in the forseeable future.
Citizens of other countries need valid passports, and in some cases require passports valid for a certain period of time beyond the proposed travel date. These "minimum validity" rules vary both by the destination country and by the circumstances of the individual: British different minimum validity rules for Indian tourists, for example, are different from its rules for American tourists: and its rules for American tourists are different from its rules for Americans arriving to study.
It is NEVER wise to rely on a country's official website to determine another country's rules, and it is usually impossible to contact a human being at an embassy or consulate.
As is clear from every reply but mine on this thread, advice from laypeople on the internet about this issue is worse than useless. The place to start for this kind of question is the destination government's own website.
Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (and most of the West European microstates) need only proof of their citizenship to visit other countries in this group. This can be a national ID card (for those who allow their governments to impose such tyrannical impertinences on their citizenry) - or, for EU citizens travelling within the Union, an expired passport.
For the avoidance of doubt: Ukraine is NOT an EU member state, and is unlikely to be one in the forseeable future.
Citizens of other countries need valid passports, and in some cases require passports valid for a certain period of time beyond the proposed travel date. These "minimum validity" rules vary both by the destination country and by the circumstances of the individual: British different minimum validity rules for Indian tourists, for example, are different from its rules for American tourists: and its rules for American tourists are different from its rules for Americans arriving to study.
It is NEVER wise to rely on a country's official website to determine another country's rules, and it is usually impossible to contact a human being at an embassy or consulate.
As is clear from every reply but mine on this thread, advice from laypeople on the internet about this issue is worse than useless. The place to start for this kind of question is the destination government's own website.
Jun 18th, 2016, 12:40 AM
#12
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My mother uses her national ID card to travel from France to the UK and to Scandinavia. Denmark does not have a national ID card, but Sweden does and I have seen Swedes use their card to travel to/from the UK. IME, the French and Spanish use national ID cards quite alot for travelling within the EU.
This year, I travelled on my passport until the 2nd Jan and my passport expired on the 12th Jan. This was within Europe so of course there was no problem. I would not attempt to do so in countries that stipulate a minimum validity. I have also known people enter Russia with only 1-2 days left on a multi-entry yearly visa without issue.
The OP has not stated where he/she is going after Finland. If it is back to Russia then there is a problem as Bulgarians need a visa.
This year, I travelled on my passport until the 2nd Jan and my passport expired on the 12th Jan. This was within Europe so of course there was no problem. I would not attempt to do so in countries that stipulate a minimum validity. I have also known people enter Russia with only 1-2 days left on a multi-entry yearly visa without issue.
The OP has not stated where he/she is going after Finland. If it is back to Russia then there is a problem as Bulgarians need a visa.
