Valid US Passport not always valid!
 

My daughter & I recently had a rude awakening on our trip to Paris. Both our passports were valid (mine due to expire in 3 months, hers in I month). However, France does not accept passports this close to an expiration date. No warning in our Fodor's Paris book prepared us for this. So we lost one whole day on our trip. But had a wonderful time anyway..

Most countries have a similar rule.

So we lost one whole day on our trip. But had a wonderful time anyway..>

explain - how could you get into Schengen or the EU without a valid passport? Did you see Paris for one day? Needs more splaining.

I've seen mentions of this from time to time. I'm surprised you didn't know.

Since many countries in Asia require your passport to be valid for 6 months beyond your trip, we use this as our guideline for renewing our passports.

It sounds like you got an emergency passport renewal. Do tell us where you had your passports renewed and how that went.

Some countries require a 6 month validity. But you registered to post this so are you even going to come back to see the responses?

Sounds like you are blaming Fodors guide book? Not their fault.

It;s very common for countries to require that passports be valid anywhere form 3 to 6 months past the end of the trip. This has been mentioned on the these boards MANY times - including people getting advice on how long it takes to renew.

Can't imagine you have not seen it unless you are new here. And I would think it's in any decent guidebook - but obviously have ot read them all.

OK, so it wasn't in some guidebook. That obviously didn't convince any reputable authorities and I'm happy to know that, too.

Three months is typically the minimum for the EU, and it warns you at travel.state.gov.

It's your responsibility to keep your passport up to date.

You can have your passport renewed/replaced (lost or stolen) at any American Embassy, but not at one of the consular offices. It normally requires a day or two and you have to make reservations.

The OP was lucky that passport control didn't send them home on the next outbound flight, but that simply shows you how nice the French can be, especially to American travelers (stupid or not).

But I also wander how the airline they flew on allowed them to board the flight. They are supposed to check the expiration date of every passport before allowing a passenger on the plane.

>>The OP was lucky that passport control didn't send them home on the next outbound flight, <<

I'm not so sure the OP got to France as scheduled. If the airline staff was doing their job, they (or at least daughter) were denied boarding and she had to get her passport renewed on an emergency basis before flying out. (She says it cost them a day of their trip.)

Getting a passport replaced (which they would have had to do) in the States generally takes longer then in Euorpe. We had a stolen passport replaced in Madrid within 24 hours.

http://travel.state.gov

Expedited Service at a Passport Agency
If you need a passport very quickly, the best method may be to apply at a U.S. Department of State Passport Agency.

There are 28 passport agencies around the country that can provide expedited service. Many have opened in the last few years and there may be one closer to you than you think.

Appointments are required to apply at U.S. Department of State passport agencies. Most passport agencies require proof of travel within two weeks in order to make an appointment. For a complete list, click here.

Some passport agencies do not require proof of travel to make an appointment.

Passport Expeditor/Courier Companies
Passport expeditor/courier companies are private entities, some of which are registered at our passport agencies, and are allowed to submit expedited passport applications on behalf of customers.

Glad you had a great trip.

A guidebook can only provide general entry requirements. Most refer you to the applicable agency for any additional requirements as laws change - even international laws - and it is not the responsibility of the guidebook to keep up with those laws -- its yours. And its not necessarily the airline's responsibility either; however, 9/11 may have changed that a bit.

I can see this excuse (blaming the guidebook) being valid pre-1996. But in this age of every thing accessible online... really?

<i>explain - how could you get into Schengen or the EU without a valid passport? Did you see Paris for one day? Needs more splaining.</i>

Good question.

The US used to require 6 months validity left on a passport. It now has to be valid at least for the period of your stay. Maybe Schengen should have an ESTA-type system as well: these people would have known about this if they had to apply in advance.

OP says they only lost one day on their trip - being refused in France - could it be that was on a day trip from London - that's the mystery here - how could they only lose one day and be turned away from only France?

This post is ridiculous - you should check visa and passport requirements of whatever country you're trying to enter before you go. Plenty of countries (just throw a dart at Asia) restrict travelers with passports set to expire in 6 months or less or require additional documentation.

Do not know how or when I aquired the information, but I know a passport is not acceptable right up to the expiration date.

However, if someone does not travel much or do a lot of reading about travel, it is understandable that they might assume a passport (like most documents) would be good until the actual expiration date. They would think theirs was fine, and not be looking for information about it. There have been a number of posts over time about people who realize their passports have expired or are near the end, and they have been frantically trying to get them renewed before a trip. No harm in having the issue pointed out once in a while.

To the OP, sure, knowing all the requirements is a personal responsibility, but you are not the first to find yourself in that predicament. I am glad you were able to deal with it and still have your trip. Please come back and report about the trip and how you got the passport situation sorted.

>> how could they only lose one day and be turned away from only France?<<

Easy (though we'll probably never hear the whole/real story)

• Arrive at airport check in desk 3 hrs before departure

• Agent & supervisor say -- "Sorry, you can't fly to France w/ that passport"

• Hissy fit - "Why not!?!"

• "You need more validity or the French Border agents won't let you in. Therefore we can't let you board the plane."

• "What can we do?????!!"

• "Get to the Passport agency ASAP and renew - they will do emergency renewals if you have your ticket in hand. Your change fees are $$$$. Here is your new itinerary."

• Mad dash to Passport office - wait in line. Renew. Back to the airport the next morning. Fly to CDG

well, I don't think it's ridiculous, and this it's a good warning for others. Lots of people wouldn't check something like that, having the crazy idea that a valid passport is valid until it says it expires. I"m sure I never would have thought otherwise if I weren't reading boards like this for the last few years. When I was younger, I never gave that a thought.

So I think it's good advice for those who don't know these intricacies.

You can get a passport renewal in one day if necessary in many larger cities. I had to do it once when I started a new job and unexpectedly had to travel to Switz 3 days after I started (to fill in for someone who went on maternity leave very early). I just called the office, explained the problem and they gave me an appt for the next day. It took about 5 hours - mostly since there were a bunch of people with passport problems there - versus just a quick renewal.

Not sure how I let it run out - but for the job I had previously there was no foreign travel and somehow I got the passport expiration date confused with the one for my drivers license - and thought I had another 8 months).