US Passport expriration date near to travel dates

Spectra · Post by **Spectra** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:16 pm

Ok!

So I wonder. I have a US passport, and I will be traveling from Helsinki to the US back to Helsinki soon. It will be a 3 week trip, and my passport (and residence permit) [b]will be valid during the trip[/b]. The passport expires about 3 weeks after we return to Finland.

I just read somewhere that some countries, if you only have 6 months left on your passport, it will not be accepted.

So now I'm starting to freak out. I called the US embassy in Helsinki and they said for travel to the US it will be no problem, but as for the Netherlands (we have a stopover there) and coming back to Finland, they couldn't say.

Anyone, any info??

**Sponsor:**

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:10 pm

There is no border control between Amsterdam-Helsinki, so I'd try to check primarily from Dutch authorities.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:47 am

I assume you have now applied for new passport and new RP? Since its going to be so close to the expiration time before you come back maybe you should look into doing that now. Normally to get a new passport you gotta send your old one and they send it back with your new one but I think in cases like yours since you must travel so close to the expiration dates that you could have it for the time you travel. Same thing with the RP.

Anyway, I was wondering would it work that you have copies of your application for a new RP and passport while you are traveling (of course you also have your current passport and RP with you). That way if they ask in Denmark you can show them that its in the works but you just haven't got them yet. You could also ask about this from the people at your local police station who take care of your RP.

Idefix · Post by **Idefix** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:22 pm

I have also read that some airlines will not allow you to board if the 6 month requirement is not met.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:46 pm

So are you not going to renew your passport in the US?

Spectra · Post by **Spectra** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:02 pm

Well, I did a ton of calling around.

I called the Foreign Ministry of Finland. They told me about this 3 month rule, that I will have problems because my passport is not valid for three months after the travel period. So, not good.

And,
This US government page http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html
says when that coming into Finland and the Netherlands, the passport must be valid for those three months past the travel date.

BUT then, i did more calling.

*I called the border control of Finland, and they said no problems. The passport has to be valid only during the time of travel.

*I called the US Embassy in Helsinki. They said getting into the US is no problem. And they also said that even US citizens with expired passports have come into Finland. One guy who worked there for years said he never heard of any such problems.

*I even called the immigration services at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. They said, that officialy, the passport has be be valid for 3 months after the travel period, BUT, he said, 'i guarantee you that you will have no problems." So i even took his name down, and he was very obliging with that. I will keep that phone number too.

*KLM says that I have no problem. I called them at the airport here and they directed me to this page:
Their page here http://www.klm.com/travel/fi_en/travel_ ... saform.htm
also says that I only need a valid passport.
The site says: From traveling from finland to the US via the netherlands: "Passport required. Nationals of the U.S.A. may enter with a passport"
and
From traveling back to finland from the US via the netherlands: "Passport required. Those residing in Finland may enter with travel documents valid on arrival.
Visa required, except for Those holding an official Residence Permit issued by Finland to alien residents. "

So I am guessing that this 3 month deal is for citizens who are residents of the US.
With my permanent residence permit here, i am guessing all i need are valid documents.

Still, I'm not quite sure. I'll be traveling with kids, so I dont' want any extra hassle.

I have an appt with the US embassy here next week. I could get an emergency passport that would be valid for 1 year. But that's extra money and extra hassle on this end.
I'm not sure what to do.

I called the passport agency back in the US too, and their darn automated service got me nowhere. I was going to make an appt as soon as i got there, but bleh, it was a headache with the machine talking. But what i did learn was that even getting the expidited passport is taking 2-3 weeks at this time. So it would be just barely making it in my case.

Spectra · Post by **Spectra** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:04 pm

jas_rho:
no i haven't applied yet, but like i said, i have that appt for that emergency passport next week, if I want to go get it.

And one more thing,
I tried that KlM.com site again as a US citizen residing in the US, traveling between the US and Finland via the Netherlands.
Still, it only said 'valid passport.' Nothing about 3 or 6 months.

So huh. Maybe that "official" 3 month rule that the Foreign Ministry of Finland and the immigrations guy at Schipol was talking about is Very lax, esp when it comes to visitors from "western" countries.

AldenG · Post by **AldenG** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:16 am

How do you renew a US passport in Finland nowadays?

When I did it around 1985-1986, I walked into the U.S. Consulate one afternoon, with no appointment, and left about an hour later with the new passport in hand (and the canceled old one). I was renewing a year or so early so I could get my permanent resident permit put into the new one.

Do you have to send it off somewhere nowadays? That would be a little surprising. I'd think a central Consulate in any European country would have to have the capability to manufacture passports and other travel documents.

jas_rho · Post by **jas_rho** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:22 am

AldenG wrote:How do you renew a US passport in Finland nowadays?

When I did it around 1985-1986, I walked into the U.S. Consulate one afternoon, with no appointment, and left about an hour later with the new passport in hand (and the canceled old one). I was renewing a year or so early so I could get my permanent resident permit put into the new one.

Do you have to send it off somewhere nowadays? That would be a little surprising. I'd think a central Consulate in any European country would have to have the capability to manufacture passports and other travel documents.

http://finland.usembassy.gov/passports.html

AldenG · Post by **AldenG** » Fri May 01, 2009 2:34 am

That's pretty ironic when you think about it.

Once our masters finally moved onto the Web, its advanced technology enabled them to inform us at the speed of electrons that they're going back to the speed of horses to renew our passports. There's probably some kind of Boyle's Law that quantifies the way that each increase in governmental efficiency must inevitably be compensated by an offsetting decrease elsewhere in the same process.

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