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Old Jul 22nd 2022 | 6:09 am
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Default Passport validity

On gov.uk it says for EU travel your passport must be:

valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave

Does this mean that you cannot travel to Portugal during the last 3 months of your passport?

Would applying for your new passport 3 months before the expiry date minimise the inconvenience?
 
Old Jul 22nd 2022 | 10:10 pm
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Default Re: Passport validity

Applying early is probably the best option, remember that validity for the EU is ten years from the date of issue, which is not necessarily the same as the expiration date shown on the passport.
 
Old Jul 22nd 2022 | 11:11 pm
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by ricko
On gov.uk it says for EU travel your passport must be:

valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave
More precisely, passport must have more then 9y 9months validity, including on date of your return.

Does this mean that you cannot travel to Portugal during the last 3 months of your passport?
No, you can travel anytime, but will be sent back.

Would applying for your new passport 3 months before the expiry date minimise the inconvenience?
Minimize ? It will maximize your chance of entry in Portugal.
.
 
Old Jul 23rd 2022 | 12:55 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by ricko
On gov.uk it says for EU travel your passport must be:

valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave

Does this mean that you cannot travel to Portugal during the last 3 months of your passport?

Would applying for your new passport 3 months before the expiry date minimise the inconvenience?
I thought you were a registered resident of Portugal, protected under the WA, in which case your passport only needs to be valid on the dates of travel.

Maybe you're asking for a friend or relative, though?
 
Old Jul 23rd 2022 | 4:35 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by Red Eric
I thought you were a registered resident of Portugal, protected under the WA, in which case your passport only needs to be valid on the dates of travel.

Maybe you're asking for a friend or relative, though?
Yes, I am a resident.
What is confusing me is that I have heard that afpop's understanding is that this applies to residents also.
Confusing because when you travel as a resident to Portugal, there is no return date??
 
Old Jul 23rd 2022 | 5:03 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Not sure where AFPOP might have got that from, if that is indeed what they're saying.

The GOV.UK page on living in Portugal says :
If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, you can enter and exit Portugal with a valid passport. You do not need any additional validity on the passport beyond the dates on which you are travelling.
Living in Portugal

The Withdrawal Agreement itself says:
Union citizens and United Kingdom nationals, their respective family members, and other persons, who reside in the territory of the host State in accordance with the conditions set out in this Title shall have the right to leave the host State and the right to enter it, as set out in Article 4(1) and the first subparagraph of Article 5(1) of Directive 2004/38/EC, with a valid passport or national identity card in the case of Union citizens and United Kingdom nationals, and with a valid passport in the case of their respective family members and other persons who are not Union citizens or United Kingdom nationals.
The Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

... and Article 5 of that Directive (Right of Entry) says :
Without prejudice to the provisions on travel documents applicable to national border controls, Member States shall grant Union citizens leave to enter their territory with a valid identity card or passport and shall grant family members who are not nationals of a Member State leave to enter their territory with a valid passport.
Directive 2004/38/EC

So valid passport is the only stipulation, without any further conditions attached (as would be the case for visitors).
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 12:05 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Thanks RedEric for spotting that.

I had followed the link for Schengen area passport requirements, which had said the same as in the original post.
So you have to go to the Withdrawal Agreement to get the full story.

It is strange that afpop didn't know this.

I was concerned because the consequences of falling foul of this could be very troublesome.

 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 6:46 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Regardless of what the withdrawal agreement may say, airline check in staff have their own rules which often are a misinterpretation of the facts. Talked to a guy a couple of months ago who had been denied boarding on IIRC Easyjet because he would have had a few days less than 3 months on his passport on date of return ticket. Because my wife's passport would also be short on time on our autumn return, she renewed it in June. Interesting that although she had a few months left on old one, the new one now expires 10 years from date of issue, no extra months added as they used to do.
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 8:25 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by GrahamF
Regardless of what the withdrawal agreement may say, airline check in staff have their own rules which often are a misinterpretation of the facts. Talked to a guy a couple of months ago who had been denied boarding on IIRC Easyjet because he would have had a few days less than 3 months on his passport on date of return ticket. Because my wife's passport would also be short on time on our autumn return, she renewed it in June. Interesting that although she had a few months left on old one, the new one now expires 10 years from date of issue, no extra months added as they used to do.
That's been the case since 10 September 2018.
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 8:45 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by GrahamF
Regardless of what the withdrawal agreement may say, airline check in staff have their own rules which often are a misinterpretation of the facts. Talked to a guy a couple of months ago who had been denied boarding on IIRC Easyjet because he would have had a few days less than 3 months on his passport on date of return ticket...
Which - for a visitor, to whom the WA doesn't apply - would be entirely in accordance with the regulations and put Easyjet in the right in refusing boarding, or facing a hefty fine for not doing so.
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 10:01 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

It is worrying that airline staff, and immigration do not always know the rules.
Earlier this year, I had my passport stamped on entering Portugal, though I had shown my residence sheet before my passport.

Is there any way to preempt these problems?
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 10:05 am
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by Red Eric
Which - for a visitor, to whom the WA doesn't apply - would be entirely in accordance with the regulations and put Easyjet in the right in refusing boarding, or facing a hefty fine for not doing so.
Agreed but the problem with some check in staff is they haven't always been made aware of the different rules for residents as opposed to visitors, who they're used to dealing with every day by the thousand.. I see a problem ahead initially with ETIAS when check in staff will want to see everyone has authorisation, which we residents won't need.
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 6:55 pm
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by GrahamF
Agreed but the problem with some check in staff is they haven't always been made aware of the different rules for residents as opposed to visitors, who they're used to dealing with every day by the thousand.. I see a problem ahead initially with ETIAS when check in staff will want to see everyone has authorisation, which we residents won't need.
Agreed. It is very worrying that airlines are making these mistakes. EasyJet website still says we must wear masks when checking in for flights from Portugal airports even though the Portuguese authorities do not demand it.
 
Old Jul 24th 2022 | 7:55 pm
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Default Re: Passport validity

Originally Posted by ricko
It is worrying that airline staff, and immigration do not always know the rules.
Earlier this year, I had my passport stamped on entering Portugal, though I had shown my residence sheet before my passport.

Is there any way to preempt these problems?
Other than quoting the relevant legislation, I don't know.

Specifically on the matter of passport validity, the national legislation applicable is Article 9, para 1 & 2 of Lei 23 / 2007 :
Artigo 9.º
Documentos de viagem e documentos que os substituem
1 - Para entrada ou saída do território português os cidadãos estrangeiros têm de ser portadores de um documento de viagem reconhecido como válido.
2 - A validade do documento de viagem deve ser superior à duração da estada, salvo quando se tratar da reentrada de um cidadão estrangeiro residente no País.
Lei n.º 23/2007, de 04 de Julho

I'd be very surprised if SEF didn't know that.
 

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