Hi all,<BR> I am planning a trip to Italy. I just noted that my passport will expire ten days short of the required 6-month validity.<BR><BR> Will I be hassled over this?

I got curious from your post and found a website that talks about passport entry requirements:<BR><BR>http://www.traveldocs.com/<BR><BR>You can put in the country and see what pops up. They say there is a 12 month requirement for tourists in Italy. I'd call an Italian consulate, if I were you. <BR><BR>I've never even thought about the expiration date on my passport and never had trouble, but maybe mine has always been &quot;fresh.&quot;

Yes.But having your passport renewed is a breeze.Allow 6 weeks.It wont take that long.But make allowances<BR> travel.state.gov/passport_services.html<BR><BR>Expect that every country will enforce to the letter every entry requirement.And when it doesnt happen,all the better.

Thanks for the responses. You confirmed &quot;better safe than sorry&quot;.<BR><BR>

I checked the website www.traveldocs.com and all I can find concerning passport entry requirements is the statement &quot;U.S. Passport / valid at least 3 months beyond intended stay &quot;. Where are you people finding these 6 or 12 month requirements? I am leaving in two weeks to Great Britain and my passport expires in 8/03. I saw nothing in this website that indicated that would be a problem.

topping - anyone know the real answer?<BR>Websites are not clear on this point.

I found the following info at :http://www.destination-uk.com/tips/passport.htm<BR>&quot; Passports must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended departure date from the UK. &quot;<BR>

Here is the URL of the Italian Consulate in Washington DC<BR> www.italyemb.org<BR>( if the US is where you are traveling from). Maybe the anwser you seek is on this page or at least an e-mail address that you send the question to.<BR>

I found the requirement for 6-month validity at<BR>http://www.sftpwtg.com/data/ita/ita040.htm<BR><BR> This might be a requirement of the 1995 Schengen Agreement.

xxx wrote<BR>&gt;Here is the URL of the Italian Consulate in Washington DC<BR>www.italyemb.org&lt;<BR><BR> Thanks for the help. <BR><BR>Under 'Tourist Visa' it says<BR>&quot;passport or official travel document valid at least 3 months beyond the validity date of the visa requested&quot;.<BR><BR> I have written the Italian Embassy.

Don't take a chance of having problems when you try to clear immigration in Italy.

You're welcome , Ira <BR>Glad to have been helpful.

Thanx to all who took the time to reply.<BR>I have written the Italian Embassy and will post their response.

Hi all,<BR> To those interested in this question. <BR> The Italian consulate in Atlanta, GA says that a passport must be valid for three months after arrival date in Italy.

Thanks Ira! I had not even thought of this for our trip next year and now, it looks like my fiancee will need to renew his passport before the trip. I appreciate you sharing the info!<BR>