Passport valid for 3 months to enter
 

I've read that a U.S. passport must be valid at least three months beyond the intended stay in order to enter Italy. A previous poster reported as follows: "The Italian consulate in Atlanta, GA says that a passport must be valid for three months after arrival date in Italy." I want to be sure that it is the arrival date that counts -- can anyone help out with this question. Thanks in advance.

If you want to be sure, aloha, call the Italian embassy in DC yourself-just google the Italian embassy in DC, and you'll find the telephone number. I can tell you that the French embassy states that you must have SIX months remaining on your passport to enter the country.

To call and talk to the embassy in DC, or the consulate is the only way to be sure.

Aloha! I would suggest you call the consulate directly. Most countries require your passport is good for 6 months beyond your travel dates. But, it's one of those things that you need to go to the SOURCE for.
Mahalo!

EU countries don't require your passport to be valid for 3 months (or 6 months) after the date of entry.

They merely require you to have a passport that is valid on the day you LEAVE the country

I suspect the 3 months validity is a simplification of the "90 days in 180" Schengen rules.

I'll call a consulate tomorrow. I wonder, Alan, if you can tell me where you found that info - I've searched lots of sites for passport requirements for the Schengen countries and can't find anything definitive.

That's not correct-when you call the Embassy they will advise you that you must have either 3 or 6 months remaining validity on your passport before leaving the US.

http://www.esteri.it/eng/5_32_183.asp is the website for the Italian Minitry of Foreign Affairs. If you read what it says - the only mention of "3 months" is for aliens who require a visa to enter. For them - the passport or other travel document must be valid for three months beyond the length of the visa. For those entering on a passport only - no mention of 3 months or 6 months or anything else.

That doesn't address this specific question, however. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website doesn't mention the 6 months validity requirement on its website, either, however when I called (in response to a question on this board) they told me in no uncertain terms, that France requires 6 months remaining validity on the passport to enter. Now that does not necesarily translate to what a particular immigration official will do when you arrive, but I wouldn't chance the issue-if the Embassy tells you 3 or 6 months, then you ought to have that time remaining on your passport.

You can't go by what you think the foreign ministry website states, as most of those websites that I have viewed do NOT address that specific question-the State Dept. website, however, DOES state that you should check for the country you are visiting, as there is a 3 or 6 month validity entry requirement for many countries.

OK - who do I tend to believe - the Minitry's own offical information (even though it IS Italy) or ???

(BTW - not on this specific question, but on other similar types of things I have received totally conflicting answers from different Consulate staff members. So even calling the Consulate will not necessarily get you a straight answer)

That should be "Ministry" . . . .

I just called American Airlines, and the agent checked for me and said that AA did not enforce any kind of 3-month passport validity requirement for Italy. I understand that this is not definitive, but I believe that the airlines face large fines if they transport folks without proper documentation, so maybe it's some kind of indication.

I leave for Italy later this month and my passport was set to expire in May (about 60 days) so I emailed the Italian consulate and the reply was, "Dear sir, please renew your passport!" I asked if six months was necessary and they didn't address it in the email. FYI, I expedited my passport on Feb 4th and still have not received it, they said I should get it March 10th.
My guess is I probably wouldn't have had any problems as they could see I travel often and have a return ticket. A couple years ago I traveled to Germany with a friend who's passport expired while we were there so we had to make a side trip to the consulate in Hamburg before catching the flight home.

I am now in a panic thanks to this message. I never thought it would have to be valid past the dates of travel! I travel March 30-April 7th and my passport has an expiration date of April 28th. Luckily I live near a Passport Agency so I can go there if needed.

The state department website (and call center) says only that to enter Italy you need a valid passport (nothing about valid for how long). At 9 a.m. I'm going to call the Italian embassy and see what they say. I'll let you know what I hear.

If you have proof of a return date that is before the expiration of your passport I can't see why this would be a requirement.

Hi A,

When will you be going?
How much time is left on your passport?

The official rule is 3 months beyond the date you leave.

Actual practice, as reported by others and my own experience, has been that it should still be good on the day you plan to leave.

My last visit to Italy, our passports were still valid for 1 month after departure.

Do be aware, that it is up to the individual Immigration Agent to decide whether to let you in.

((I))

Okay. I spoke to the Italian Embassy and they said that it is the general rule that you should have a passport that is valid for 3 months beyond your return date. However, she also noted that, being Italy, it is possible that you will find an immigration agent who doesn't follow the rule to the letter. It is a GAMBLE to do this, because you may find someone who is very strict about the policy. She recommended that if you have any sort of question about it you should really just renew.

Guess I'll be making a trip to the Passport Agency. Sigh.

Ira, I arrive in Italy on April 26 and depart May 22. My passport expires August 12. So it makes a big difference whether the 3 months starts to run on the date of arrival in Italy or the date of departure from Italy. Based on nnolen's report, 'd better get a new passport too!

Just got this email reply from the Italian Embassy: "Your passport must be valid three months upon the date of your return to the United States. Regards, Visa Office"

I know this is an old post, but I just came across it. We leave in three weeks (Oct 9) for two weeks in Italy. Our passports expire in March - five months after return. I had done a search for passport validity 10 months ago on the US State Dept sight and the Italy Min. of Foreign Affairs site and nowhere does it mention passport must be valid three or six months past return date. We are OK for valid three months past return date but not six. Anyone who posted before or who has traveling recently have any information? Anyone denied entry? It will be VERY hard for us to get renewed passports in three weeks from where we live in Wyoming so if it is not absolutely necessary...

Also I have tried emailing and calling Italian Consulate in DC with no response. Tried leaving messages on passport phone number as well as several email addresses on site that come back -- address unknown.

Did anyone officially confirm the expired passport issue... I find myself in the same situation... passport valid for 6-month when leaving US to Italy but less than 6-months when leaving Italy>>> I have emailed the Italian embassy to asking their official stance??

Why are you concerned about six months, no one has said anything about Italy requiring six months, only three. I suspect the three months validity has to do with the issue that you are required to get a visa beyond a 90 day stay, and some nationalities are always required to get a visa, and short-stay visas are for 90 days. They require any passport to which a visa is attached to be valid three months beyond the expiration date of the visa. Thus, if you had a 90 day visa, the passport would have to be valid 90 days beyond the end point of that visa (these requirements are on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website, not the consulate or embassy website). So it seems different officials may interpret when that 90 days begins for those folks who don't need a visa (at their entry point or exit point). It is rather abstract, but I wouldn't worry about the six months issue since no one has said anything about that.