Passport Renewal
 

I am going to Italy on October 8th and flying home from Amsterdam on October 22nd. My Canadian passport expires April 20, 2016. I know your passport should be valid for another six months before entry into Europe, but it's only short a few days. Do I take a chance and wait until I get back to renew it, or should I not chance it and renew before I go. I'm thinking for peace of mind, it's probably best to renew before. I would hate to be turned away at the airport - short vacation! What say you all?

Whether or not the few day difference between onset of your trip and expiration of your passport probably depends on the mood of the officer checking it. I am guessing you will eventually want to renew your passport, so why not go ahead and do so, sacrificing those few days in exchange for one less worry.
Carol

What DOES anyone here's opinion on this issue matter? Oh, I know: "Well, they told me on Fodors they didn't think I should renew it even though I know what the rules actually say, Officer."

DUH!!!!!!

I'd sure renew mine early if there were any chance I'd have a problem if I didn't renew.

depends on what European countries you are visiting. eg UK and France passport must be valid for 3 months beyond length of stay,

Renew it! Why take a chance?

>>UK and France passport must be valid for 3 months beyond length of stay,<<

That is not true for the UK (I don't know about France). For the UK a passport only needs to be valid for the duration of one's trip.

But in any case -- I always renew my passport when it gets down to 5 or 6 months. I'd renew it this summer.

I have a friend who was denied boarding on an Air Canada flight to Taiwan because his passport was short ONE DAY of the requirement. I would not chance it.

Passport control issues are ones with which you should not mess. Perhaps you should read the specific rules for Italy to see if you need to renew.

This took 20 seconds to find and repost. Perhaps Canada's Foreign Office offers similar convenience.

http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...try/italy.html

It used to be passport validity actually meant the dates on it.

AFAIK, neither Italy nor Netherlands has any such requirement that it must be valid 6 months for US citizens or Canadians, it's only 3 months. Your own govt website says so http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/netherlands

where is this 6 months stuff coming from, anyway? Taiwan isn't the same, the country itself has a requirement that the passport must have 6 months validity.

Many/most Asian countries require 6 months validity beyond the end of your trip. But as others have pointed out, you are going to Europe.

I'm in the same boat - thought mine was good until aug 2016 but it expires Aug 29, 2015. I am leaving for Sweden April 29 but multiple websites say Sweden only requires 3 months. I will have nearly 4. Too close to renew so I printed out hte requirement and hope all will be ok.

Barb, it looks like 3 months validity is sufficient:

http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy