Help: Travelling to Turkey with less than 3 months on my passport
 

I have booked a holiday to Turkey flying tomorrow 3rd April from Gatwick to Bodrum and have now discovered I am supposed to have 6 months (or some say 3 months) valid on my passport. I have just under 2 months!!!!

It is Good Friday - I cannot contact the Turkish Embassy. What do I do???

You're sunk. The airlines won't even let you on the plane, if they are doing your job. And the last thing you want to to arrive in Turkey and to be refused entry. The Turkish embassy will be no help, in any event.

There is a very slim chance that no one will notice if you are reputable-looking, but it's not very likely. Especially not these days.

Two suggestions

1. Try to find a phone number/contact in Turkey. I doubt they closed for Good Friday as it's predominately Muslim (actually surporsed the Embassy closed, but I guess the adopt the holidays of the host nation :) )


2. If you decide to go anyway take PROOF of your return ticket.

Oh dear

I really don't know what to do now! I am tempted to go to the airport and try. A couple of weeks ago I have entered my passport details into the advanced passesnger information and had no problems.
Am I mad?

The US has a 6 Month Club, which means if you are a citizen of a country that is a member of the "club," the 6 month rule does not apply.

You need to find out if Turkey has a 6 month club.

I highly doubt you will be denied entry to Turkey if you are a UK citizen.

Thin

After doing some checking, I found out the the UK is NOT a member of Turkey's 6 month club. Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy, France are--and then a national of these countries must have 90 days remaining on passport.

I think you have less than 60 days on your passport?

I think you may be in trouble.

Thin

ok

I will have to give up.....

What happened? I am in the same position (only I have a month before we travel) - it's my 4 yr old son's passport that has 2 months to run

Well, Matt, go get your kid a new passport.

Duh.

Thin

Matt,

What country are you from? If from the U.S., you have time to get a new passport. I renewed my passport in April and I got it in 3 weeks.

If you don't want to chance it, you can also pay extra for expedited service. (Remember that since your son is a minor you will have to renew his passport in person).

See http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html for more info.

If you are from the UK, this appears to be the official website for passport renewal:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...orts/index.htm

The process is similar to that in the U.S., and you still have time to renew.

You can get a new passport in one week ( I did )if you go to the post office and use expedited service but it will cost you around $60 per passport extra plus the photo costs. Also, be sure to have the post office shoot your photos so there will be nothing incorrect. Also, you must use overnight mail both ways. The clerk at the post office can guide you through the process.