Passport question re: travel to UK

[cyndy]

My son has a ticket to go on a trip to the UK with my fiancé leaving Jan 8 for three weeks. His passport expires in April. I was recently told by a friend that he will be denied entry into the UK unless his passport is in good standing for 6 months past his travel dates??? I've tried calling the British Consulate but everything is closed due to the holidays. Does anyone out there have reliable knowledge regarding this? I'd sincerely appreciate it.

[Beefitarian]

My wife says, "That sounds bogus to me but I wouldn't put it past them. If you phone the Canadian Passport office they should be opened and know."

I have to go as I'm busy looking for someone to give me $30000 us to take over the payments on her so I can go buy this plane.
http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_ ... e+140.html

[chipmunk]

http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-kingdom
Click on entry/exit requirements.

They say the passport has to be valid for the duration of the stay and suggest to call the British High Commission for up-to-date information.

[Beefitarian]

Chipmunk's link says,
"Passport

Canadians must present a passport to visit the United Kingdom, which must be valid for at least the expected duration of their stay in that country. This requirement may also apply when travelling to Northern Ireland from other parts of the United Kingdom, and vice versa.

Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Customs officials may ask you to show them a return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds for your stay. If you are unable to do so, or if you seek entry as a visitor but are found with items indicating that you intend to seek employment (such as curriculum vitae or educational certificates), you may be denied entry and expelled from the country. If you have previously been refused entry, contact the British High Commission for entry clearance before making plans to visit United Kingdom, even if a visa is normally not required."

[photofly]

It sound entirely plausible to me that they'd turn him away. When you arrive from Canada, expect to be given a six month visitors visa. If your passport isn't valid for at least six months from the date of arrival you can't be given a six month visa.

I don't know if Immigration is able to make an exception and give you a visa for a shorter duration.

[photofly]

Found something relevant, although this is for people applying for a visa in advance:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/count ... %20English

What should you bring with you?
When you attend your appointment, you should bring:

a signed printout of your completed online application form;
a valid passport or travel document; you are not legally required to have 6 months' validity on your passport at the time you apply for your visa. But your passport must be valid at the time you apply and at the time you arrive in the UK

[CpnCrunch]

It sound entirely plausible to me that they'd turn him away. When you arrive from Canada, expect to be given a six month visitors visa. If your passport isn't valid for at least six months from the date of arrival you can't be given a six month visa.

I don't know if Immigration is able to make an exception and give you a visa for a shorter duration.

Nope, no visa required, and I'm fairly certain you don't need 6 months on your passport:

http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-kingdom

[photofly]

A visa is required, and they stamp it into your passport at the immigration desk. It's valid for six months. I don't care if they call it a visa or a visit permit or Kermit the frog for that matter.

[Colonel Sanders]

Different country, but looking at my new passport,
I have 14 stamps in it from US Customs with "B1"
which are all valid for 6 months. Go figure.

I have heard of people being turned back from
Central America vacations because their passports
didn't have 6 months left on them.

Bottom line: treat a passport with less than 6 months
left as expired. Get a new one. The good news is
I heard passports are going to be good for 10 years
now.

[GyvAir]

Being refused boarding because of a near expired passport happens to people all the time. He in all likelihood will need a new passport for the trip. Some countries are more rigid on the 6 months than others and some airlines are more rigid about enforcing it at check-in, treating it as a blanket validity requirement regardless where you're going.. CYA measures. They're the ones you have to deal with on this to get on the plane, not the UK officials.
It will cost you the extra $100 or so to fast-track the passport application now, but that is likely much less than the cost of cancelling the trip or being turned away at the gate.
Crap.. just looked at mine. it's time is up this summer too.

[cyndy]

Thanks...I did refer to all these websites as well. I'm going to try a fast track on a passport renewal for him. I know certain countries have the 6 month travel requirement, but I've never known the UK to have it. Still, I don't want to take any chances. Thanks for all your help.

C

[PilotDAR]

I narrowly averted this a year ago, with a prudent pre travel check of my passport. It would have been valid for my intended stay, but not much after. I renewed it (which was done within 10 days). When I arrived in Amsterdam in transit, the requirement was at least 90 days validity beyond the intended stay. It was written somewhere, but I do not recall where. I don't recall if it was 90 days or 6 months, but it was not less than 90 days. I read the reason wherever it was that I read the rule, and the reason did make some sense to me at the time. Included within that reason was that if your return was delayed, and the passport expired before your return to Canada, you would have trouble with re-entry to Canada.

The UK might be different from that, but I would not take the chance.... Renew the passport

[Colonel Sanders]

the passport expired before your return to Canada, you would have trouble with re-entry to Canada

Only in a bureaucrat's wet dream would they have that power.

The paperpushers cannot deny a citizen entering his country.
They can (and will) make it difficult if it's possible, but they
can't stop you.

A few years back, TC had me red-flagged with customs. I
couldn't cross the border without having my wallet searched.
Thanks for that, TC. Took years to sort that out. But despite
their best efforts, they couldn't deny me entry into the country.

[bmc]

Go fast track and don't worry about it. They can turn a passport in 24 hours. It's not worth the worry.

I changed passports last summer. I mistook my expiry date by two weeks and was travelling back and forth between France and Switzerland with an expired passport. I knew there wouldn't be any international travel and didn't really sweat it.

[1000 HP]

I just renewed mine and it took 10 days and cost cost $140 dollars. They charged me and extra $20 for me to pick it up rather than mailing it. That was at the Edmonton passport office. The new 5 year ones are 36 pages and have a chip. I was out of pages in the old unexpired one after 2 years so this new one is an improvement. They told me it could not be done faster.

[GyvAir]

They told me it could not be done faster.

Some passport offices aren't prepared to offer fast turn times. Check the website or make a phone call before you head out. I did mine in Ottawa one time in 2 days (48 hours elapsed time) drop off to pick up.

[bmc]

I just renewed mine and it took 10 days and cost cost $140 dollars. They charged me and extra $20 for me to pick it up rather than mailing it. That was at the Edmonton passport office. The new 5 year ones are 36 pages and have a chip. I was out of pages in the old unexpired one after 2 years so this new one is an improvement. They told me it could not be done faster.

The old ones came with 24 pages unless you asked for 48 pages. I once filled up a 24 pager in twelve months.

The new ones are nice. You have the option of five or ten YEAR passports, which is what we all got this year.

[GyvAir]

five or ten passports, which is what we all got this year.

Five or ten passports? Along with $10,000 cash, assorted credit cards, prepaid cellphone and a Glock in a bag?

[Beefitarian]

five or ten passports, which is what we all got this year.

Five or ten passports? Along with $10,000 cash, assorted credit cards, prepaid cellphone and a Glock in a bag?

Well, shoot. A fella could have a pretty good weekend in Dallas with all this stuff.

[bmc]

ok ok

So I missed a word

Cut me some slack.

[snowbear]

I renewed my passport a few months ago here in YWG. I was in line at 1000hrs, waited no more than 30 minutes. When I got home around 1600 there was a message on my machine to come collect my new one!! Valid for ten years. I paid the higher price and told them I was on days off until I got the new one (truth).

A point about validity: Many countries require that there must be at least one fully clean and clear page (no stamps) left in the book before they will allow admittance. I was told this was to prevent potential overlapping stamps that may be difficult to decipher.

[GyvAir]

ok ok

So I missed a word

Cut me some slack.

You wouldn't really expect us to pass up such low hanging fruit, would ya?

[cncpc]

No worries Cyndy.

You're good to go. 6 months is way past a three week stay, assuming he has a ticket back.

You do not need a visa to go to the UK. We are both Commonwealth countries, with a common sovereign, Mrs. Elizabeth Montbatten.

If you needed six months left, it would mean that your passport effectively expires 6 months before the stated date.

Anyways, even if it were getting close, you can go to the Canadian embassy (high commission) in England and get a new one there.

[AirFrame]

As cncpc says, a Visa is not required for tourist visits to the UK of durations less than 6 months:
http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/united-kingdom

Visas

Canadians needing any type of visa should consult the UK Border Agency, which uses a five-tier visa regulation system. They should also visit this website to ensure that they have appropriate documents for the purpose of their visit (marriage, employment, studies, etc.). Canadians planning to work in the U.K. for any period of time are required to have a work permit; this includes voluntary work.

Tourist Visa: Not required (for stays less than six months)
Business Visa or Work Permit: Required
Student Visa: Required

Depending on how old the child is, a consent letter may be useful:
http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/children/consent-letter

Oh, and since everything is closed until Monday anyway, you might as well wait until then and just call the British Embassy if you want a definitive answer. You can't fast-track a Canadian Passport before Monday anyway, and I strongly suspect you won't need to anyway.

[photofly]

Doesn't matter what you call it - visa, or permit or anything else. This is what you get in your Canadian passport when given permission to enter the UK as a vistor. Notice the six month thing.

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