My wife and I are going to Ireland this November for 2 weeks. We will depart on the 3rd of November and return on the 17th. The question is our U.S. passports expire on November 25, 2005 and she thinks we can't use them as we are close to the expiration date. I say we are okay as long as we return the US before the expiration date. What say you?

Some countries won't admit you unless your passport is valid for six months after your planned return date.

Check with the Irish consulate for the official scoop.

why not just renew them before your trip?

Elaine has a good point. There is plenty of time...

You need to renew. I know a person who had a horrible experience because her passport was up within a month of her return date. AA wouldn't let her on the plane. After a big arguement, she was able to fly, but her luggage had been detained, and she had no clothes for 10 days in Europe. Double check the rules, but I'd renew.

Although a passport has an expiration date, that doesn't mean it can be used up until that date. Most countries require 3 to 6 months validity or it's no good. It is imperative that you renew, as well as foolish to risk having problems that could have been avoided.

Thank your DW for thinking of this and buy her a nice dinner out

DEFINITELY renew your passports now. (You don't have to wait until near the expiration date). A good rule of thumb is for your passport to be valid a minimum 3 months after your return flight. But some countries require as much as 6 months

Not renewing is perilous. Once you are at the airport it is waaaaaay too late to fix things if they don't let you on the flight.

Neither the UK nor the Republic of Ireland have a rule about passport expiration dates. Neither country pays much heed to the insular policies of our neighbours on things like this (one of the reasons we won't touch that xenophobic Schengen system with a hurley stick).

If you're not planning to use a passport again in the near future, what's the point of renewing it unnecessarily?

You would, however, be unwise to take my word for this (though not as unwise as you'd be to take the word of the worrywarts above). A quick call to your nearest Irish consulate should set your mind at rest either way.

I fail to see anything unwise about renewing it prior to the trip. It will expire shortly after the trip anyway.
In the event that you don't take another trip for another 5 years, the renewed passport will still be useable.
In the event that you spontaneously want to take another trip at anytime for any reason, you will be good to go.
Other than the fee, that will have to be paid at sometime or other, I see no downside.

Considering that you're soon going to need passports for many places that you don;t now (Canada, Mexico, any cruise with international stops, all the islands) it seems very foolish not to just renew it before this trip - unless you never plan on traveling again.

Limey...I agree to renew now.I renewed mine in April.I paid the $60 expedite fee and had it back in 10 days.The $60 expedite fee guarantees that it will be renewed by the 3rd business day after it is received.Thete is no guarantee when they will process it back to you, but I thought it was worth the extra money.I printed out the renewal form from the State Department website.I had my new pics.I fedex'd the forms/pics/money to the Pennsylvania address and it was mailed back from New Hampshire.Others will say they got theirs back without paying the expedite fee.But if it is good for 10 years, then the extra expense was pennies a day.Best of Luck!

I'd ask people who got stranded in Europe or elsewhere for up to a week right after 9/11 if they'd consider going to Europe on a passport that expired a week after they are scheduled to return. Or someone who got sick or injured on the trip and had to remain there for a while.

I wouldn't think of doing such a thing, when I know I'd want a new passport later anyway.

You have plenty of time, renew now!

I'm not going to go into the story of how stupid I was to book a trip and then realize my son's passport had expired - It's a long and very stupid story!!!!

I just hope it gets here by next Wednesday or DH and myself are going wihout him

I don't get it... why not just renew your passports?

It is true that some countries have a requirements of 6 months validity to be remaining on your current passport in order to allow you in the country. Don't know about Ireland, but why take a chance?

I'd also recommend renewing it now. I renewed mine in June to give myself a couple of months before I needed it.

I mailed the application, old passport, pictures, and check on a Monday morning and had the new passport back Thursday the following week just paying the regular fee.

Does anyone know about Italy? My husband's passport expires in Nov and we are leaving Sept 6 for 10 days. I cannot get through to the Italian Embassy and their website has no info. It would be cutting it close to send it off for renewal now.

Hi Diane, well it use to be that to enter Italy your passport had to expire 6 months after your return home. I haven't heard of any changes. But if you get on this renewal right away he can get his passport renewed in time. You might want to spend the $60.00 expedite fee. I think I would. Best wishes, and have a beautiful time in Italy.

Diane,
We were having the same concerns in May about our July trip with passports expiring in September. The Italian consulate in Los Angeles told me we needed 90 days remaining on our passports and so we paid the $60 expedite fee to get them done. I will say it did only take the 10 days the Post Office promised to expedite and return the passports to us. I have heard enough stories about being not allowed on flights to be glad we did this and did not play the "let's see what happens" game. That said, no one looked at our passports when we arrived in Rome, but AA certainly did give them the lookover. My advice - renew/expedite today.

Thanks to all for very good information. I did contact the Irish Consular Office in Chicago as recommended by Robspierre and even though they have no direct written policy they recommend, as all of you did to renew before traveling. They, like you to have it valid for 6 months after your return, but nothing in writting. Thanks again, you people are the most travel savy in the industry.