The three kinds of rule
- Valid for your whole stay. Your passport just needs to last until the day you leave. This applies to Ireland, the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Mexico.
- Valid for a period after you leave. For example, the Schengen area and New Zealand want your passport to last at least 3 months after the day you leave.
- Valid for a period from the day you arrive. Thailand, China, Turkey, the UAE, Egypt and India measure from your arrival date, often 6 months.
Airlines check these rules before you board, because they have to fly you home if you're refused entry. So a passport that's a few weeks short can stop you at the check-in desk, not just at the border.
The Schengen 10-year rule
For the Schengen area there's a second test: your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive, as well as lasting 3 months after you leave. Check the date of issue, not just the expiry date.
This catches people whose passports were issued for more than 10 years. Until 2018, the UK added up to 9 months left on your old passport to a new one, so some UK passports issued before October 2018 last up to 10 years and 9 months.
Rules by destination
| Destination | Your passport must be |
|---|---|
| Schengen area | Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and be valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area. If you renewed it before 1 October 2018, check the issue date, as it may be more than 10 years ago. (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| Ireland | A passport that's valid for your whole stay (This is the US rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| United Kingdom | A passport that's valid for your whole stay. Travel on the passport your ETA is linked to. (This is the US rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| United States | A British citizen e-passport (with the chip symbol) that's valid for your whole stay. Emergency passports can't be used. If you get a new passport, you need a new ESTA. |
| Canada | Valid for your whole stay. Unless the officer gives you a different date, your stay ends after 6 months or when your passport expires, whichever comes first. Use the passport your eTA is linked to. |
| Australia | Valid for your whole stay (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| New Zealand | Valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave New Zealand (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| Japan | Your passport must be valid for your whole stay. There's no extra 6-month rule. Have one blank page for the entry stamp. |
| South Korea | Your passport must be valid until the day you leave South Korea. There's no extra 6-month rule. |
| Thailand | Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, with at least 1 blank page. |
| China | Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive. That's GOV.UK's advice; China's embassies only ask for it to last your stay, so the longer rule is safer. (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| Mexico | Your passport must be valid for your whole stay. The Mexican Embassy in the UK recommends at least 180 days' validity. (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| Turkey | Your passport must be valid for at least 150 days from the day you arrive, with at least 1 blank page. (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| United Arab Emirates | Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive. |
| Egypt | Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, with at least 1 blank page. (This is the UK rule; it differs for some passports.) |
| India | Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, with at least 2 blank pages. |
The checker works out the exact date your passport needs to last until for each stop, if you add your passport's dates.
Damaged passports
Border officers and airlines can refuse a damaged passport, even if it's in date. Water damage, torn or missing pages, a loose cover or a damaged photo page can all be a problem. If yours is damaged, replace it before you travel.
Renewing your passport
- Renew a US passport
- Renew a UK passport
- Renew an Irish passport
- Renew a Canadian passport
- Renew an Australian passport
- Renew a New Zealand passport
Check how long it takes before you book, and allow extra time before busy holiday periods.
Checked 26 October 2026 against European Commission, European Union, Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Irish Statute Book, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland and GOV.UK.
See the 12 official sources
- Short-stay calculator (European Commission (Migration and Home Affairs))
- User manual for the short-stay Schengen calculator (European Commission)
- Travel documents for non-EU nationals (European Union (Your Europe))
- ETIAS frequently asked questions (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- FAQs about EES (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- What is ETIAS (European Union (Travel to Europe))
- Entry for non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss and non-UK nationals (Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration)
- Extension of Visitor Permission (Immigration Service Delivery, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration)
- Immigration Act 2004 (Visas) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 473 of 2014), Schedule 1 (Irish Statute Book (Office of the Attorney General))
- List of visa required and non-visa required nationalities (May 2025) (Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland)
- Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK (GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration))
- Check if you can get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) (GOV.UK (UK Visas and Immigration))