Why 6 months on passport?

[cruiserdru]

What is the point of requiring 6 months remaining on your passport at your return?

 

If the United States and Great Britain both recognize the validity of a passport up to the expiration, why are cruise lines choosing not to do the same??

 

I have to say that I am not happy about now having to pay a $60 fee to expedite a passport renewal for a passport that doesn't expire until 3/26/06 when I am going on a round trip crossing ending 11/1/05. So much for last minute bookings, especially when you are busy traveling internationally for your company and need your passport.

 

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

[whherron]

That rule is not specific to cruise lines. I've had it come up on airplane flights from the U.S. to Canada and back. I don't know if the United Kingdom has the same requirement, but I know that rule is applied in other places...Israel, for example, just off a brief search of the Web.

 

You should renew your passport. You're going to be quite unhappy if you are detained somewhere along the way because your passport expires too soon.

 

This rule was in place before 9/11, by the way. I don't know if it was enforced before then or not, but I had it come up back in the '80s and '90s while travelling.

 

Bill

[elaine61]

A lot of tour operators state the same requirements here in the UK. The UK passport agency will now credit up to 6 months of a passport onto the new one. So if you renewed it now it would run until say Mar 2016!!

 

Elaine

[Nliedel]

I used to be a travel agent and I have had clients run into this a lot. It is tour operators and some countries.

[andhow]

It's mainly to safeguard yourself if you happen to hospitalised in a foriegn country. 6 months is generally enough time for you to make any repatriations necessary - and not have to worry about if your passport has expired - or be denied boarding a plane.

[bonni99]

The six month validity requriement is actually waived for British passport holders traveling to the United States as per the information on the US embassy website: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/faqs/faq_visa_niv.html#niv079

 

"

Does my British passport have to be valid for six months beyond my date of departure from the United States?

 

No, if your passport is not valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States, it will not affect your eligibility to travel. The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States.

 

If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires. "

[whherron]

The six month validity requriement is actually waived for British passport holders traveling to the United States as per the information on the US embassy website: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/faqs/faq_visa_niv.html#niv079

 

I would print that out and take it with you. I don't think there are that many people aware of the waiver...I wasn't, and I've heard all this before. It'd be nice to have it on you in case you run into someone who doesn't know about it.

 

Bill

[Mr_Cruise]

I know that for many countries the rule is in place because upon granting a person entry into the country, they are legally permitted to stay for up to 6 months.

 

The passport regulations ensure that the visitor is able to return to their home country upon completion of their visit.

[cruisr]

Hi,

 

I can only give you a personal experience. My parents were on the Maiden Voyage of the QM2 in January, 2004. About 2 weeks before they were getting ready to go I noticed her passport was expiring in early May, 04. I was. I happened to be flying to London the next week. When I got to passport control I asked the gentleman if my Mother would be turned away with a passport that is going to expire in 4 months. I told them they would be staying one night in Englnad and then getting on the cruise. He said "No Problem".

 

When I called home that day I told her don't worry about it. SO, it saved her a trip to the NYC passport center and an expediated passport renewal.

 

This is not advise to anybody, it is just a personal story.

 

Bon voyage