Reply To: Given wrong advice on a child’s passport by BA customer services

[NorthernLass]

I’m not sure this is correct – the requirement that the passport needs to be less than 10 years old means a child’s passport will always comply with the EU entry requirements. An extension is not going to take it beyond this, so as long as there are still 3 months remaining it would be valid for entry.

The issue with adult passports is that extra added months take them beyond the 10 year rule. This wouldn’t apply to a child’s passport, which is only valid for 5 years to start with. I think this is where Ryanair got it wrong in the case mentioned above.

This is how it has been reported in the media:

“Passport validity rules for children visiting the EU
Children aged 16 and under will be issued a child’s passport. The maximum validity for this type of document is five years and nine months. This means that all children’s passports meet the first of the two passport requirements for third-country nationals travelling to EU countries, which are as follows.

issued within the 10 years before the date you enter the country (ie no more than 10 years old)
valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave.
As such, so long as a child’s passport meets the second rule, it will be valid for travel to EU and Schengen area countries.”