passport for India

[Dee Sa]

I am travelling to India on 5th May this year, my passport runs out on Oct 7, will I have to renew before I go ?
also my visa for India runs out on 7th May so I am presumimg I will have to get another as I am going for 30 days.
would it be easier to get a new passport and then get the new Indian visa put in ?
will the British passport office allow me to apply now even though it does not run out till Oct ?
I hope this makes sense. and tks for help & advice.

[dzug]

You will need a new passport and a new visa - India is one of the few countries that really does want 6 months passport validity.

You can apply for a new passport at any time. If it has less than 9 months to run the full unexpired period will be added to the validity of your new passport.

[Dee Sa]

many tks dzug. I now know exactly what to do, I wasnt sure if I could apply for a new passport that didnt run out till Oct, but that is on my list of Feb 1st jobs.
The worst bit is getting the Indian visa in London, all those queues.
Pls dont say post it, my friends did that and when their passports were returned a third passport belonging to a man from the Midlands came to, they contacted him and he said no-dont put it back in the post and he drove all the way down to Suffolk to collect from them !
Last year I was there and a 80yr old Brit had travelled up from Pompey as he had sent his passport by reg post a month before and they were denying all knowledge and the poor man was suposed to be travelling next day, they could not have cared less.
Antway thanks for your help and advice.
Best Regards Dee