USA 6 Month Passport Rule ?

castle

Child's passport is out of date Dec 2013 is it okay to travel to America in July for 3 weeks or do they have the 6 month expiry rule.

lynchie

will be fine to travel.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

US embassy website has more details - Validity of Irish/EU Passports.

coylemj

lynchie wrote: »

will be fine to travel.

+1 I went to NYC in Nov. 2011 for Thanksgiving w/e with a passport that expired six weeks later in early January, the US Immigration official in Dublin didn't even comment on it.

As long as you plan to come home before the passport expires there is no issue.

nkfox

I am currently in Philadelphia airport returing to Dublin after a week in the US. My passport runs out at the begining of May 2013, so their was 5 months on it when I left. I checked with my carrier (US Airways) and they told me that as long as I had a valid ESTA for the Visa weiver scheme then all was OK.

Just take a print of the link BearNecessities identified. I actually did that and have it in my document wallet just in case there is a question.

Are you flying direct to the US from Dublin? If so, you will go through the immigration processs in Dublin.

coylemj

nkfox wrote: »

Just take a print of the link BearNecessities identified. I actually did that and have it in my document wallet just in case there is a question.

If you think the situation may arise where you'd need to show an immigration agent a printout of a page from their own Embassy website then you really don't have much faith in them.

It is not an issue, period.

You don't even need a printout of your ESTA approval, all you need is your passport. Unless you're stupid enough to turn up with a passport that's going to expire before the return flight on your ticket, you have nothing to worry about.

Cainer

Hi everyone,

Are we 100% sure that the 6 month rule doesn't apply? I'm travelling to the USA in two weeks with my family and our passports expire in November.

I know the embassy website states that it's ok - http://dublin.usembassy.gov/consular/validity-of-irish/eu-passports.html

But I'm still having mini panic attacks imagining our family being turned away at passport control. Has anyone been through recently with a passport that expires within 6 months?

coylemj

Cainer wrote: »

Are we 100% sure that the 6 month rule doesn't apply? I'm travelling to the USA in two weeks with my family and our passports expire in November.

The US State Dept. says the following for people visiting under the visa waiver program (VWP)...

You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure from the United States (unless exempted by country-specific agreements)

If you click on that link (country specific agreements) it will show you a PDF file which lists countries which extend their citizens' passports for 6 months beyond the expiry date and Ireland is listed.

Although you probably wouldn't be admitted to any country with an expired Irish passport, the US people seem to regard the expiry date as including six months 'grace' so you'll be fine.

That paragraph I quoted above is here, scroll down to 'Have the correct type of passport'

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visa-waiver-program.html

Cainer

Thanks coylemj,

So from reading that I'm taking it that Ireland is one of the countries that are exempt from it? All very confusing, all I want is a straight answer.

I've tried calling and emailing the embassy, passport office and airline but I either couldn't get through to someone or they couldn't give me a straight answer. I just want to be 100% confident that's it's ok.

coylemj

Cainer wrote: »

....all I want is a straight answer.

Short of a signed letter from Obama, I'm not sure you'll be convinced by anyone.

You're worrying in the face of facts that say you have nothing to worry about. That is the response I was going to give you this morning but I decided to dig out more facts to reassure you, in vain it now transpires.

You do NOT need six months remaining on your passport to travel to the US.

JohnMearsheimer

I work in the passport office. As long as your passport is valid for your trip you're grand.