Passport valid for less than six months? Three different rules by country

Some countries let you in with a little less than six months left on your passport, while others strictly require six months. If you fall short, the airline can refuse boarding at check-in before you ever reach immigration, so check your passport before you book flights.

This guide is based on Skyscanner’s passport rules summary and a source on US rules. The Skyscanner article is written for UK travellers, so confirm the rules for your own passport with your foreign ministry or the embassy before you travel.

Three main types of rule

The wording varies, but most countries use one of these:

• At least six months remaining from your date of entry
• At least three months remaining after the day you leave the country
• Valid only for the length of your stay

Examples of six-month countries

According to the sources, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) require six months from the date of entry. Thailand also requires at least one blank page in your passport.

Europe and the US work differently

The Schengen area does not use a six-month rule: your passport must be valid for three months after the day you leave the Schengen area, and it must have been issued within the last ten years.

The US generally requires validity for the length of your stay. South Korea is on the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) list of countries exempt from the six-month rule. Visa-free travel to the US still requires a separate ESTA approval.

Airlines and transit points can be stricter

Meeting your destination’s rule is not always enough. A transit country or the airline itself can apply stricter rules. If your remaining validity is borderline, renewing your passport is the safest option.

Four checks before you fly

• Check your expiry date against your return date
• Check whether your destination requires six or three months
• Make sure you have blank visa pages
• Check the rules of any transit country