Passport expiry requirements - conflicting advice

[Iainmac]

46 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

It is time the cruise lines here recognised the special relationship between NZ and Aust. and allow Aussie passengers to cruise, without the six months validity required on their passports after return, as NZ allows Aussies to visit as long as they hold a valid passport.  As long as the cruise only goes to Aus and NZ, why should the cruise lines have different passport rules to NZ for Aussies than required by NZ?

 

 

Agree.  I can't help wondering where a ship cruising between Aust. and NZ would end up if it were to be blown of course or had a problem and needed to make landfall somewhere.  As I said somewhere in an earlier post that this six months rule makes it easier for cruise lines without them having to make exceptions for certain routes/countries.

I've done a few coastal cruises in Australia and don't remember ever bring asked for my passport, or anyone else, as they don't expect the ship to end up in some foreign country.  

[challis]

would you really like the possability of being denied boarding your dream cruise simply

 

becouse you did,nt want to get a new passport

 

.if its stressing you out now,just wait till boarding day...and the walk of shame after spending a hour in line

[MMDown Under]

A better outcome would be for common sense to prevail, with cruise lines, when cruising between Aus and NZ, not insisting on 6 months validity of passports, at the end of cruisesl  After all, NZ doesn't require 6 months when Aussies make land visits. 

[Brisbane41]

It is a complicated issue and has many grey areas that are loosely interpreted. Technically your passport is valid until the expiry date however there are some issues that may change this.

 

1. Entry permits for different countries vary. Tourist stamps could be anywhere from 30 days to 90 days. If you are turning up to a country to visit as a tourist you are legally entitled to stay there as a tourist for however long their entry permit stamp allows. If your passport has less than 90 days validity and their entry permit for tourists is 90 days then it creates an obstacle to that country letting you in as your passport would be expired before the maximum amount of time you are allowed to stay in that country.

 

2. Cruise lines are aware of the above and so are travel agencies and other countries so generally they say 6 months validity to cover the amount of time a tourist visa allows you to stay in a country ensuring your passport is still valid at the end of that period regardless if you decide to stay the entire length or not.

 

3. There are delays in travel, civil unrest, natural disasters, there needs to be leeway in the length of time passports have left.

[The_Big_M]

Agreed.