6 Months on Passport or not?

[Upnotover]

My daughter is flying from LHR this week for a short holiday with me. She has just realised she only has 5 months validity on her passport. After searching the subject here I find totally opposed opinions and experiences as to whether she will get on the (Eva) flight or not. The UK FCO website actually states;

• "Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Thailand. Entry to Thailand is normally refused if you have a passport which is damaged or has pages missing."

...which is not particularly encouraging.

Anybody have actual recent experience of this?

[Mario2008]

That is old information. For nationals of countries that qualify for a visa exempt entry the entry requirement is that the passport must be valid for the intended duration of stay.

IATA database:

National United Kingdom (GB) Embarkation United Kingdom (GB)/Destination Thailand (TH)

Thailand (TH)



Passport required.
- Nationals of United Kingdom must hold passports and/or

passport replacing documents valid for the period of
intended stay.

[Upnotover]

That is old information. For nationals of countries that qualify for a visa exempt entry the entry requirement is that the passport must be valid for the intended duration of stay.

From what I have read that seems to be the case. Yet the websites of the UK FCO, the London Thai Embassy, the Thai Consulate in Hull, all state that 6 months is required. When she is checking in with Eva I wonder what reference point they will be using, or playing safe with the 6 months rule.

[Upnotover]

That is old information. For nationals of countries that qualify for a visa exempt entry the entry requirement is that the passport must be valid for the intended duration of stay.

IATA database:

National United Kingdom (GB) Embarkation United Kingdom (GB)/Destination Thailand (TH)

Thailand (TH)

Passport required.

- Nationals of United Kingdom must hold passports and/or

passport replacing documents valid for the period of

intended stay.

Apologies, I replied initially to your reply which did not include details of the IATA database.

[lopburi3]

The six months on Embassy/Consulate web sites refers to issue of a visa. But for actual immigration entry the rule is for period of intended stay. But many countries do have the six month validity and could refuse entry so probably can not safely travel anywhere else (except perhaps Hong Kong) in the region.

[Upnotover]

The six months on Embassy/Consulate web sites refers to issue of a visa. But for actual immigration entry the rule is for period of intended stay. But many countries do have the six month validity and could refuse entry so probably can not safely travel anywhere else (except perhaps Hong Kong) in the region.

From the Thai Embassy UK;

• Foreigners who enter Thailand under the Tourist Visa Exemption category and would like to leave and re-enter may only stay for a cumulative duration, which does not exceed 90 days and is within a 6-month period from the date of first entry. (Passport or travel document must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of first entry)

It is the same on the Hull website, visa exempt, not visa.

This is why I am concerned as there are multiple sources of different information! Only the reference to the IATA information supports the general held opinion that 6 months is not needed, would be nice to have that from a gov.th source.

[lopburi3]

That is the old information - which actually was not enforced in the case of major passports for a few years now - but within the last year they have removed that wording from the IATA data base so airlines are free to bring travelers even if they see passport validity is less than 6 months.

But Consulates do still enforce the six month rule for visa issue.

[Upnotover]

That is the old information - which actually was not enforced in the case of major passports for a few years now - but within the last year they have removed that wording from the IATA data base so airlines are free to bring travelers even if they see passport validity is less than 6 months.

But Consulates do still enforce the six month rule for visa issue.

Thanks for your replies, from what i can determine it does indeed seem to be the case. Frustrating though that the UK Thai Embassy, indeed the wonderful UK government, cannot keep pace with things that changed years ago. Anyway i have told her to show up at the airport, after all, what is the worst that can happen, she goes home and I save a lot of cash.

[Crossy]

Do tell her to ask to speak to a supervisor if she has issues at check-in.