EU Entry with UK Passport issued less than 10 Yrs ago, expires 10 Years 4 months

[AJA]

Hi all

I booked a holiday to Tenerife in the current BA sale departing London 3 Sep 2023 returning 13 Sep 2023. I just checked my passport and it was issued on 4 Dec 2013 and expires on 4 Apr 2024 ie has 4 months added onto the 10 years.

According to Gov.uk the entry requirements for Spain state that:

Your passport must be:
– issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
– valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.

I also just checked the Spanish entry requirements at the ministerio de asuntos exteriors website

It states
1. Valid passport or travel document: The document must be valid until three months after the planned date of departure from the Schengen territory, and must have been issued during the ten years immediately before the date of entry.

On the surface my passport meets those requirements but does anyone know if the 3 months left has to be within the 10 years of issue? If so then I am going to apply for a new passport as 3 months after I depart Tenerife is 13 Dec 2023 which is 9 days over the 10 years since issued.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

It’s my understanding that any extra time previously added to a passport is not counted when Schengen is concerned.

So your passport expires 10 years after it was issued and that’s what they’ll base ri 3 months calculation on.

[ChasP]

the problem isnt Spanish immigration its at Heathrow. Cant remeber the details but there was a news article a couple of months ago when someone was denied boarding with a similar passport. Eventually the carrier (think it was Ryanair) admitted their error and paid some compensation.
You are correct the two rules are separate and hopefully the Pitbulls at checkin now know this

[NorthernLass]

@AJA, I don’t think your passport will be valid as it will be more than 10 years since it was issued. That’s the first rule, passport must be less than 10 years old. The extra months don’t count.

[George K]

His passport expiry date is 3 December 2023, as far as the EU is concerned. Isn’t that still within the 10-year window, considering he’s travelling three months prior, in September 2023?

I think you’ll be fine, but to be honest, I’d apply for a new passport now anyway.

[NorthernLass]

Oh right, I read that @AJA was entering TFS on December 13th, sorry. But the extra months won’t count now, so it surely won’t be valid for 3 months after the return date?

But yeah, I would get a new one anyway, you never know if circumstance might make you unable to leave when you planned and it would be an extra complication to have to get a new passport.

[AJA]

Thanks all. I think I’d get away with it as George K notes but I don’t want to chance it and was already leaning towards just applying for a new passport now and your responses are confirming that.

I think I’d rather be safe than sorry. Trouble is I was also thinking about booking a city break to Lisbon for end of July but having checked that passport applications are taking up to 10 weeks I think I’d better just apply now and wait until I get a new passport before booking anything else.

Thanks again.

[Peter K]

The passport official line is always 8-10 weeks, but often much faster. A lot of reports on here this year of it being a week or so. Of course we’re in holiday season now so there’ll be a number in your boat that realise they need one.

[ChasP]

As I said the 2 rules are independent So you need
1) It must be less than 10 years old on the day you fly
2) it must have at least 3 months left on the day you return

i.e. extra months do not count for 1 but do count for 2
The EU has always been clear on this but some carriers esp Ryanair and Easyjet have got it wrong in the past – it has cost them compensation – and believe me they dont pay that willingly and I think they have now learnt.
Given the current passport office delays I think that might be a bigger risk

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/05/denied-boarding-passport-valid-easyjet-ryanair-compensation/

[AJA]

Thanks @ChasP I still think I will apply for a new passport now as I will definitely have to apply for a new one after I come back from Tenerife so I’m merely delaying the inevitable by 4 months. I do take your point that applying now for a passport is a risk but I have 13 weeks to go before I fly so I should be OK with applying and as Peter K says 10 weeks is the official line and it may not actually take that long.

[Froggee]

It is the right thing to do as you’d still have the stress when you check in!

See below website if you don’t mind too many adverts. 18 days is current average renewal time:

https://www.passportwaitingtime.co.uk/

[AJA]

Thanks @Froggee. That’s a useful website. Will apply online tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and advice. It is appreciated.

[strickers]

Applied for a replacement on the 2nd, they marked my old passport received on the 5th, emailed me on the 16th to say the needed more info, info sent on the 17th, replacement arrived on the 22nd. I hold two passports and thought I could just replace them individually, the additional info was an employers letter to say why. Overall very impressed with the service.

[AJA]

Thanks @strickers useful to have that additional data point re timelines.

[SamG]

I’d renew it. It’s not Spain or Portugal I’d be worried about it’s the check in or gate agents this side !

If you’re near an office and don’t mind paying a bit extra then the fast track services are good, an adult renewal should only take a couple of weeks but you do hear the odd horror story and then there isn’t much you can do if they’re still in their quoted 10 weeks

[AJA]

Did an online renewal application this morning and just got back from the post office having sent my passport off using tracked delivery.

Let’s see how long it takes to get my new passport.

Thanks again everyone for your advice.

[supergraeme]

I’d renew it – too much of a risk otherwise.

Check this marvellous site out for actual current renewal times – Passport Waiting Times. That and the associated two Twitter pages (one regarding premium appointments) are brilliant.

Edit – I didn’t notice that I was responding to a post several days old – oh well!

[AJA]

Thanks for responding anyway. I went for renewal and got a text on Tuesday confirming the passport office had received my old passport. Not heard anything since but based on that website I’m thinking I will get my new passport in the next couple of weeks.

[supergraeme]

I did One Week Fast Track and at my appointment the lady said they were taking about three weeks at that time – and that was a few weeks ago during the strikes. You’ll be fine.

[AJA]

Update: Got an email yesterday saying my passport application had been approved and then this morning got another saying my passport was on its way and it’s just been delivered by TNT! Two weeks from applying online. And 10 days after they acknowledged receipt of my old passport. That’s pretty good I think.