Today he posted on Facebook after being rejected by an airline for a flight to Spain because his passport would expire in three months.
His passport wasn't going to expire until November, but he was still booted off the flight?
That's right.
The airline told him he couldn't fly anywhere in Europe with a passport that would expire in November. They suggested he travel to the U.S. Consulate office in London, wait in line, and maybe (just maybe) he could get an extension on his passport. Waiting in line in London for a few days doesn't line up with his travel plans or his return flight back to the United States.
He lost the cost of the pre-booked flight, the hotel, and the dinner reservations in Spain. And he had to alter his travel plans at further expense. He still needs a place to stay and has limited choices to continue his travel until his return flight home.
As he's now learned, there are rules in place in several countries that require a passport that does not expire for three months and up to six months from the time of entry into the country throughout the duration of your visit.
Now, wait. What? Explain that again... you can be stranded in Europe and all of your plans cancelled even though you are traveling with a valid passport? That's right.
It all comes down to the expiration date on your passport.
Six months seems like the magic number, but be smart.
To be safe, you should make sure your passport is good for a year or more before traveling. If it's going to expire in less than a year, get it renewed stat. You don't want to ruin your trip, alter your trip or lose money on your trip.
Google it. Do your research. There are stories about travelers being denied pre-paid airline travel for the passport expiration in three to six months in France, Spain, and Italy. There are also similar stories about traveling to Jamaica.
For my friend, it was a lesson learned the hard way. And he wasn't alone. A bunch of travelers were being turned away from pre-booked flights for the exact same reason. So, clearly, travelers are not being informed of the law by travel agents or airlines when flights are booked directly.
Good luck traveling...
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