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Please [sign in](https://auth.ricksteves.com/client/sign_in?return_to=https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires) to post. # Do you know when your passport expires? [Jump to bottom](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#bottom) Posted by [Priscilla](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/98321 "Priscilla") (California 🦋) on 04/24/15 06:07 PM Many of you travel frequently & your passports are always in order, however, some of us (including me) don't travel as much as we'd like to & don't really remember when our passport expires... Recently there was a post in the Italy forum about an unfortunate soul who was not allowed to fly to his destination because their passport was expiring in 88 days... I do hope they were able to get a new passport & are enjoying their trip now. I thought it would be a good time to clarify this imperative point for future travelers. There seems to be some confusion regarding passport validity of 3 months vs 6 months when traveling to Europe. - Some countries in the Schengen area (Italy for example) require one's passport to be **valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned date of departure** from the Schengen area. - Other countries in the Schengen area (France for example) require one's passport to be **valid for a minimum of six months at entry, and valid for an additional three months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area.** Here is an excerpt from the official U.S. Department of State /U.S. Passports & International Travel website: <http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html#1> > Check the expiration date on your passport carefully before traveling to Europe. Entry into any of the 26 European countries in the Schengen area for short-term tourism, a business trip, or in transit to a non-Schengen destination, ***requires that your passport be valid for at least three months beyond your intended date of departure.*** If your passport does not meet the Schengen requirements, you may be refused boarding by the airline at your point of origin or while transferring planes. You could also be denied entry when you arrive in the Schengen area. **For this reason, we recommend that your passport have at least six months’validity remaining whenever you travel abroad.** You may want to refer to this website to check your destination requirements: <http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html> BTW: I recently contacted the National Passport Information Center (1-877-487-2778) for some personal information regarding my passport & I took the opportunity to ask the representative this question: ***How far in advance can one renew their passport before it expires?*** His response: "*you can renew your passport the very day you receive your new passport in the mail.*.." My response: What, Really?\! Then he replied: "*Sure, if you don't like your photo, for instance...*" Buon viaggio! :-) Posted by [Joanne](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/58293 "Joanne") Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [04/24/15 06:20 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843318) 168 posts Definintely a good point. But I question the requirements for France. Its the first I've seen of it and the Canadian government website only states that it must be valid for three months post departure (same as Italy). I wonder why they're different? Posted by [Joanne](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/58293 "Joanne") Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [04/24/15 06:30 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843323) 168 posts France's website states 3months from departure. <http://www.france.fr/en/coming-france/what-regulatory-documents-do-i-need-present-entering-francehtml.html> Posted by [Sasha](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/26897 "Sasha") Bainbridge Island [04/24/15 06:49 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843342) 3302 posts Wouldn't all of the Schengen zone countries have the same requirement? Posted by [Priscilla](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/98321 "Priscilla") OP California 🦋 [04/24/15 07:02 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843347) 5403 posts Joanne, I don't know why the information differs for France.... As many of the countries in the Schengen area only require one's passport to be valid for at least 3 months beyond one's intended date of departure. The information I posted is from the official U.S. Department of State/ U.S. Passport & International Travel website. You may want to refer here for more information regarding the France requirements (updated 2/11/15): <http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/france.html> Thanks for your insight\! Posted by [Kent](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/3863 "Kent") US Pacific Northwest [04/24/15 07:05 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843350) 10344 posts This is a high stakes situation, where the consequences of being wrong may be that you are denied boarding or denied entry and your trip is, literally, ruined. As we saw in the post last week. In a high stakes situation, where there is some doubt or confusion about the exact rules, most travelers would want to err on the side of caution, I would think. Posted by [Tony](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/82219 "Tony") TN/USA [04/24/15 07:27 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843359) 214 posts I always renew mine when the expiration date is one year away. That way, if something is wrong with the new one, I still have several months to get it corrected and get a new one. One of the ladies in the Nashville travel meeting stated she had just moved and could not find her passport since the move. They had a trip planned for early May which they had to cancel as the required time for a new passport is almost 3 months due to backlog. Just not worth ever getting closer than 6 months to have the new one in possession. Everyone that travels a lot pretty well keeps up with the date of expiration, but at my age I seem to have trouble with CRS. If you don't know what CRS is, you are either young and have a good memory or don't know the term "can't remember \_ \_ \_ t. Better safe than left at the airport. Posted by [Joanne](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/58293 "Joanne") Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [04/24/15 08:22 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843384) 168 posts When in doubt, renew. I still think the US site is incorrect though. Here's the Canadian information. <http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/france> Updated April 15, 15 Here's the French information (granted related to getting a visa but still discusses the passport requirements) <http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/getting-a-visa/article/faq-visas#sommaire_2> And from Air France. All people travelling to Schengen countries must hold a passport valid 3 months from departure. <http://www.airfrance.ca/CA/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/visa_document_airfrance.htm> Posted by [Michael Schneider](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/1006 "Michael Schneider") New Paltz, NY [04/24/15 10:22 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843455) 9111 posts The state department's info is outdated. There is now a uniform rule among all Schengen countries that there has to be three month validity. Before this rule there were also some countries like Germany, Brussels, and Luxembourg that no expiration rule. Passport simply needed to be valid for the duration of the trip. Now a uniform rule has been set for everyone: three months. But the reason this rule is now being enforced is that a lot of airports now have these automated check-in machines that passengers have to use. The machines are programmed to check to for the expiration rule 100% of the time. Whereas in the past when the airlines had human agents they would typically blow it off. Posted by [Priscilla](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/98321 "Priscilla") OP California 🦋 [04/24/15 10:45 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843470) 5403 posts My intent was solely to inform, so others would not face the unfortunate... as already mentioned above. All the information I've included in my post was obtained from the official U.S. Department of State website. Here is the second paragraph from the website I included above: <http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html#1> > "The European countries that make up the Schengen area are enforcing > the requirement that short-term tourism or business visitors’ > passports be valid for at least three months beyond the intended date > of departure from the Schengen area, though adherence varies from > country to country. ***Some Schengen countries assume all travelers will stay the full three months allowed for visa-free visitors, meaning you may not be admitted unless your passport is valid for at least six months, regardless of the duration of your stay.*** This requirement may > also apply if you are transiting a Schengen airport for several hours > en route to a non-Schengen destination." The bottom line... ***The U. S. Department of State recommends that your passport have at least six months’ validity remaining whenever you travel abroad.*** Posted by [SuzieeQQ](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/17477 "SuzieeQQ") San Diego, CA [04/24/15 10:57 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843472) 365 posts Priscilla, I never realized this was a consideration when traveling to Europe. Thank you for your post. Suzanne Posted by [Frank](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/1031 "Frank") Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA [04/25/15 02:40 AM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843553) 24112 posts Error on the side of caution. Renew at 9 years, 6 month. What do you gain by waiting three months? I think this is why some of these discussions get a little side tracked. The deadlines have been reviewed and discussed here frequently. Posted by [Nancy J](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/48040 "Nancy J") Corvallis OR [04/25/15 03:01 AM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843559) 7284 posts I know when my passport expires. I don't however know when my driver's license expires. :-) Posted by [Priscilla](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/98321 "Priscilla") OP California 🦋 [04/25/15 04:39 AM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843590) 5403 posts **Suzanne**, thanks for the thanks\! **Frank**, thanks for pointing out the obvious\! **Nancy,** thanks for your funny remark\! Posted by [Fred](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/23305 "Fred") San Francisco [04/25/15 06:23 AM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843614) 16081 posts I am always aware of the expiration of the Passport, which is in June 2015. At first, just to get it out of the way, for peace of mind, having one less tedious thing to do, I was going to send in the renewal form/photo/ fee/old passport by the end of Dec 2014. But not so, procrastination took over until mid-March 2015 even though I had reserved a flight SFO to Paris exactly 60 days later. Finally, on 23 March everything required was sent in. It took exactly one month on 23 April for the new passport to arrive. It's better to renew while the old passport is in force. Posted by [Maryam](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/17062 "Maryam") Washington, DC [04/25/15 03:13 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843708) 937 posts I do know the expiration. Mine is about two-years away, and I'm already thinking about the steps I need to take to renew! Agree that given the severe consequences of cutting it too close! Just renew starting about 6-9 months out. Posted by [Frank](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/1031 "Frank") Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA [04/25/15 04:00 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843735) 24112 posts .... know when my passport expires. I don't however know when my driver's license expires. .... Nancy is correct. I have been caught a couple of times with an expired driver license. Now with the smart phones, I have plugged in all of expiration dates and the planned date for renewal, some years in advance. Posted by [Pam](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/40451 "Pam") Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA [04/25/15 04:51 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843751) 17000 posts Frank, that is a brilliant idea! Yes, I too know my passport exp. date but I have just signed up for a RS tour and you have to put that in. I'm with Nancy too, as I don't normally know when my driver's license expires, but looked at it recently when the bank wanted to scan an updated copy. Putting the info in my phone calendar and if I can figure out the calendar on the newly acquired iPad Mini will add it there\! Posted by [Frank](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/1031 "Frank") Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA [04/25/15 07:09 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843793) 24112 posts Remembering the passport expiration is not so bad - every ten years - never changes. But the driver license is another issue. For a long time in another state it was 2 years, then in Colorado it went to ten years, but, if over 65, it is five years. License renewal is kind of a moving target. Posted by [Marc](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/81032 "Marc") Detroit, MI, USA [04/25/15 08:13 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843823) 103 posts My passport won't expire for 8 years and 51 weeks. I just got my new driver's license. In my state, we don't have to remember to renew our licenses because the Secretary of State's office sends us reminders in the mail. Posted by [Frank](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/1031 "Frank") Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA [04/25/15 11:01 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#843902) 24112 posts That is what a rich state can do. Probably can renew through the mail. Right now we are reducing our renewal offices in part because we are scared that an illegal might get a driver's license. Can't have that. Posted by [Tigerfan](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/2279 "Tigerfan") Hickory, NC USA [05/09/15 06:17 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#850442) 539 posts I got totally stressed out over this for my trip last fall. My passport was to expire in a few days less than 6 months after my date of entry to France and reading all the comments on trip advisor had me sweating whether to do a rush renewal, but my daughter was already abroad and I really didn't want to be without my passport while she was overseas, in case of emergency. I decided that if they wouldn't let me into France, I would just spend my second week also in London. I even took a copy of a French website that says only 90 days were the rule in case I was stopped. I took the Eurostar to France and there was barely a cursory glance at my passport, and certainly no discussion that the passport needed to valid for 6 months. We had a nice time in France. This was just my experience, and I share it because I was begging for actual experiences of people in the same boat when I was worried last fall. Not suggesting that people don't renew if it keeps them from worrying. I would not mess around with that 90 day requirement though, as I have also heard of people being turned away at the gate of their US to Europe flight. BTW, I am now renewed for the next 10 years\! Posted by [selkie](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/85044 "selkie") [05/10/15 03:51 AM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#850635) 1221 posts August 1, 2020 Okay, it was because I was signing up for the Bay of Fundy half marathon today, and since the race crosses an international border, I had to enter passport information (or Can-Am land crossing documentation equivalent) on the entry form. Posted by [Chani](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/13912 "Chani") Tel Aviv [05/10/15 07:10 AM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#850680) 15978 posts Doesn't the DMV send a payment notice when you have to renew your driver's license? I always got one in California and in Illinois and here in Israel too, just like they send a notice for vehicle registration renewal. The federal government does not send a notice for passport renewal. Posted by [Pam](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/40451 "Pam") Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA [05/10/15 02:46 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#850739) 17000 posts Idaho does not send out DMV notices. As Frank said upthread, more wealthy states are able to do that. Poorer states do not. We do get vehicle registration renewals by mail. Posted by [Nancy J](https://community.ricksteves.com/users/48040 "Nancy J") Corvallis OR [05/10/15 03:53 PM](https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/do-you-know-when-your-passport-expires#850760) 7284 posts I've lived in 3 states and have never received a renewal notification for a driver's license; vehicle registration yes, DL no. And all 3 states had differing amounts of time that the license was good for so it was hard to remember without looking at it now and then. 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Many of you travel frequently & your passports are always in order, however, some of us (including me) don't travel as much as we'd like to & don't really remember when our passport expires... Recently there was a post in the Italy forum about an unfortunate soul who was not allowed to fly to his destination because their passport was expiring in 88 days... I do hope they were able to get a new passport & are enjoying their trip now. I thought it would be a good time to clarify this imperative point for future travelers. There seems to be some confusion regarding passport validity of 3 months vs 6 months when traveling to Europe. - Some countries in the Schengen area (Italy for example) require one's passport to be **valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned date of departure** from the Schengen area. - Other countries in the Schengen area (France for example) require one's passport to be **valid for a minimum of six months at entry, and valid for an additional three months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area.** Here is an excerpt from the official U.S. Department of State /U.S. Passports & International Travel website: <http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html#1> > Check the expiration date on your passport carefully before traveling to Europe. Entry into any of the 26 European countries in the Schengen area for short-term tourism, a business trip, or in transit to a non-Schengen destination, ***requires that your passport be valid for at least three months beyond your intended date of departure.*** If your passport does not meet the Schengen requirements, you may be refused boarding by the airline at your point of origin or while transferring planes. You could also be denied entry when you arrive in the Schengen area. **For this reason, we recommend that your passport have at least six months’validity remaining whenever you travel abroad.** You may want to refer to this website to check your destination requirements: <http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html> BTW: I recently contacted the National Passport Information Center (1-877-487-2778) for some personal information regarding my passport & I took the opportunity to ask the representative this question: ***How far in advance can one renew their passport before it expires?*** His response: "*you can renew your passport the very day you receive your new passport in the mail.*.." My response: What, Really?\! Then he replied: "*Sure, if you don't like your photo, for instance...*" Buon viaggio! :-)