passport expiry

[Budlet]

What is the minimum length of time you can have on a passport before it expires if you are travelling to the USA. My son is travelling to Florida at the end of October but his passport expires on 1st May 2008 which only gives him 6 months.

[tel b]

My understanding is you need 6 months after the expected date of return to the UK.

If I'm wrong, someone will no doubt correct me in a few minutes!

[dzug]

Yes I fear tel b is wrong. The USA normally has a 6 month rule but it is waived for British and some other passport holders. It just need to be valid until the holder is due to leave the US.

Your son will get a 90 day stamp in his passport. If it were to expire in that 90 days he would get a stamp to the date it expires.

Just to show I'm not making it up here's a link to the US Embassy web site saying just that:

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/ passport_validity.html

[Budlet]

Thanks for your answers - much appreciated.

[tel b]

I stand corrupted!

[tel b]

Or corrected even

[spudqueen]

If in any doubt you can renew your passport up to NINE months before it expires, and they credit the remaining months onto your new passport. Seehttp://www.passport.gov.uk/passport_renewing_w hen.asp

[Budlet]

Thanks spudqueen. I was just a little concerned that he has just over six months left on his passport and you never know whether the passport officer is having a good day or not and will say that is enough!!