EU passport expires in less than 6 months

[jimjum]

Hi, I read that whilst you need 6 months before your passport expires to enter Laos, you could enter Cambodia with only 4 months left. Apparently even less if you go with the border run service that runs from On Nut.

 

As far as I know you always need at least 6 months left, on your passport, to apply for a Thai visa. However to enter Thailand, I read that you only needed the time required for the entry stamp before your passport expires.

 

I was hoping some of the well informed people on TV could confirm whether this is true, or not, and if anyone has actually tried this recently.

[ubonjoe]

Those from some countries only require a passport valid for their length of stay while others need 6 months.

People that qualify have certainly entered with less than 6 months passport validity.

My suggestion is to always renew your passport before it only has 6 months of validity.

[jimjum]

Thanks ubonjoe for your reply and advice, not only on this topic but many other ones too.

 

Is Ireland one of the countries which only require a passport valid for their length of stay?

 

Is there a definitive list of countries, or is it more a grey area depending on the IO/border?

Edited January 31, 2018 by jimjum
Spelling.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, jimjum said:

Thanks ubonjoe for your reply and advice, not only on this topic but many other ones too.

 

Is Ireland one of the countries which only require a passport valid for their length of stay?

 

Is there a definitive list of countries, or is it more a grey area depending on the IO/border?

There are, I think, clear rules on this for all countries which will be enforced by airlines. Some countries that have a 6-month rule may be willing to relax them at land borders. Visa run companies tend to know what is possible.

 

The nearest country to Thailand that does not have an official 6-month rule is Hong Kong.

 

Ireland does seem to be a country only requiring a passport valid for the intended period of stay.

 

You can do a quick check on requirements for an upcoming trip using this simple page: https://skyteam.traveldoc.aero/

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

There are, I think, clear rules on this for all countries which will be enforced by airlines. Some countries that have a 6-month rule may be willing to relax them at land borders. Visa run companies tend to know what is possible.

 

The nearest country to Thailand that does not have an official 6-month rule is Hong Kong.

 

Ireland does seem to be a country only requiring a passport valid for the intended period of stay.

 

You can do a quick check on requirements for an upcoming trip using this simple page: https://skyteam.traveldoc.aero/

"There are, I think, clear rules on this for all countries which will be enforced by airlines."

 

But the airlines will also have their own policies, e.g. a minimum 6 month passport validity. Sop while a country may admit you, the airline can still refuse you due to their own conditions.

[BritTim]

14 minutes ago, stevenl said:

"There are, I think, clear rules on this for all countries which will be enforced by airlines."

 

But the airlines will also have their own policies, e.g. a minimum 6 month passport validity. Sop while a country may admit you, the airline can still refuse you due to their own conditions.

In most cases, airlines are guided by IATA summaries of immigration rules. Those airlines will not impose arbitrary passport rules of their own. I agree there are exceptions, often low cost airlines that are not members of IATA.

[helloagain]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Those from some countries only require a passport valid for their length of stay while others need 6 months.

People that qualify have certainly entered with less than 6 months passport validity.

My suggestion is to always renew your passport before it only has 6 months of validity.

Just go get a new passport and stop being a cheep charlie

[MadMuhammad]

21 hours ago, BritTim said:

In most cases, airlines are guided by IATA summaries of immigration rules. Those airlines will not impose arbitrary passport rules of their own. I agree there are exceptions, often low cost airlines that are not members of IATA.

Thai Airways are very strict with passport validity and departing flight in my experience. 

Maybe for the reason that they’re a national carrier? 

[BritTim]

36 minutes ago, MadMuhammad said:

Thai Airways are very strict with passport validity and departing flight in my experience. 

Maybe for the reason that they’re a national carrier? 

If demanding 6-month passport validity, or departing flights not specified in the IATA guidelines, I suspect in Thai Airways case this is incompetence and lack of staff training. Certainly, I have found Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airways follow IATA guidelines to the letter (and they are both national carriers).

[Crossy]

Also, UK passport holders can get up to 9 months of additional validity on their new passport if they renew early.

 

So you can comply with any 6 month rule without losing out on PP duration.

 

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

Also, UK passport holders can get up to 9 months of additional validity on their new passport if they renew early.

 

So you can comply with any 6 month rule without losing out on PP duration.

 

Thanks for that explanation Crossy.

I did wonder why I was given (as you say) an extra nine months over the ten years the last time I applied for a new passport.

[vogie]

On 02/02/2018 at 5:38 AM, Crossy said:

Also, UK passport holders can get up to 9 months of additional validity on their new passport if they renew early.

 

So you can comply with any 6 month rule without losing out on PP duration.

 

Can you renew on line Crossy, mine runs out Oct next year.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

Can you renew on line Crossy, mine runs out Oct next year.

You have to apply for the passport in Bangkok. At this time their is no online application if applying from Thailand.

[jimjum]

A follow up, just in case anyone is interested.

 

I didn't do a border run from On Nut, a service for which I have faith in, as I wasn't in Bangkok. So if you have 4-6 months before your passport expires and you need some extra time in the country that probably would have been a better, less hassle option.

 

However I used a Pattaya based service, which went to a different nearby border checkpoint. Let's just say I had to deal with it myself, in thai, and added about an extra 50% cost on top of the day trip.

 

Normally I avoid situations like this but after hearing the same thing from 3 different sources I chose to give it a go and whilst frustrating, it was an interesting experience!

 

I do have a 2nd passport and am currently sorting out paperwork for a long term visa.

 

I will of course get a new passport, but will do it when I return to Europe at some point.

Edited February 26, 2018 by jimjum