travelling with 2 months left on passport

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What are the passport expiration rules when travelling? A country-by-country guide

No matter how often you travel, there’s always that last-minute panic that you’ve forgotten to do something that could jeopardise your trip – and realising that your passport may be out of date is the worst of the lot. For most countries, like the US and Australia, the passport expiration rule is that it just needs to be valid for the length of your stay. However, others stipulate that your passport needs to have at least six months of legitimacy left to enter the country. Below, we’ve split up the most popular travel destinations from the UK by what their passport expiration rules are, according to the  UK Post Office . Overall, the advice is to make sure that your passport always has six months left on it before you travel and remember that all countries will have their own expiration rules, so be sure to check the foreign travel advice section of the  GOV.UK  website for specific entry requirements for the country you are visiting.

These countries require six months on your passport before you travel

Some countries require that you have half a year left before your passport expires to pass through border control. Below are some of the most popular destinations requiring this six-month passport validity when travelling from the UK. For the complete list, head to  postoffice.co.uk .

This tiny city-state has always been a popular travel destination. Singapore is home to shiny shopping malls, quirky  shops , a futuristic international airport (one of the  best airports in the world , according to our readers), plenty of  things to do  from sky-high infinity pools to £1.75 Michelin-grade meals, and some seriously cool  hotels , make sure you check that you have more than six months left on your passport before you visit the “little red dot”.

South Africa

Absurdly beautiful beaches, craggy mountains, endless rolling wine country, thick untouched forests and amazing  safari  –  South Africa  is undoubtedly one of the world's prettiest places. The country’s rules state that you need at least 30 dates left on your passport from the date of exit, but the advice is to ensure you have at least six months validity left for the safe chance to see everything from leaping dolphins and puffing whales to the Big Five.

This Asian country ticks so many travel boxes.  Thailand has some of the best hotels  on the continent, from glossy city  hotels in Bangkok  to splurge-worthy beach  resorts in Phuket , not to mention  Thailand’s stellar spas , creative  Chiang Mai  and the under-the-radar  secret province of Trang . Check, check and check again that you have six months left on your passport before you travel.

This European country is home to grand Ottoman palaces, glittering turquoise sea, glamorous slivers of coastline and, of course, one of the most fascinating cities in the world.  Istanbul’s hotels  are as chic as they come, and the Turkish coast is the perfect place for  family holidays . Plus, there are endless  things to do in Istanbul , from spectacular cultural sites to tasty spots across the city, but be sure you have six months left on your passport before you travel.

These countries require three months on your passport before you travel

For most countries in the European Union, the UK’s passport office recommends that the passport expiry date is at least three months after the intended day of departure. Below, we look at some of the most popular destinations that require three months left on your passport, but other ones of note include Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden. For the full list, head to  postoffice.co.uk .

You don’t need us to tell you why you should visit this country, but if you need further convincing, ask any of the 93.7 million travellers visiting France annually. It’s on track to become the  most visited country in the world by 2025 , so now’s the time to explore it to its fullest. Stroll through  Parisian neighbourhoods , laze on  French white-sand beaches , and people watch in glamorous  St Tropez  or taste-test your way through the capital’s  most beautiful restaurants . You’ll need three months’ validity left on your passport to visit France.

With its buzzing capital, world-renowned beaches and secret islands, Greece will forever be one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations. Hop between  Greek isles , book into a  Grecian villa , discover a  lesser-known beach  or go on a seriously  romantic escape  – but make sure you have at least three months left on your passport first.

Whether dining out at the  best restaurants on the Amalfi Coast , taking a deep dive into  Italy’s most underrated lake , exploring the  streets of Milan  or going shopping in Rome (here’s our guide on  what to wear in Rome ), Italy is always a good idea. Italy’s passport regulations require at least three months left on your passport before you travel.

You’ll need three months on your passport before visiting this European country. Portugal’s capital has been named  Europe’s most budget-friendly city break for 2023 , so now is a better time than any to visit  Lisbon . Traverse the country, and you’ll find some of  Portugal’s prettiest places , from the  underrated town of Évora  to the top  restaurants in Porto .

These countries require your passport to be valid through the duration of your stay

Some countries have more relaxed rules on passport validity and only require your passport to be valid throughout your travels. Below, we spotlight our favourite destinations in this list – for the full list, head to  postoffice.co.uk .

Your passport should be valid for your stay while travelling through Japan. Then, once you’re there, you can split your time between  Tokyo’s tastiest restaurants  and the  coolest spots in Kyoto , visiting  cherry blossoms in sakura season  and hopping between  Japan’s loveliest hotels .

This country has all the best holiday types rolled into one gorgeous destination. Incredible  Mexican beaches ? Check. A capital city with unbelievable food? Yup,  Mexico City has some of the world’s best restaurants . A boho-chic gem where you can get your surf on? Yes –  Puerto Escondido  is one of our all-time favourite sunny spots. Plus, there’s excellent  shopping in Tulum , lots of  things to do in Oaxaca , and epic  Mexico hotels . Just make sure your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay.

When travelling from the UK to the US, your passport must be valid for your entire trip. However, other rules to consider when visiting the US include getting an ESTA and ensuring you have a biometric ePassport with the silver camera symbol on the front. Once you arrive, it’s all worth it, where  New York’s restaurants , LA’s art district and California’s beaches await. See our list for more of the  best places to visit in the USA .

Passport expiring soon? Visit these countries within your 3-month renewal deadline

This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Have you looked at your passport's expiration date recently? If you think you're in the clear for summer travel because you have six months or less remaining until your renewal date, think again.

Even those with less than eight months of validity remaining on their passports may already find it's too late for summer travel to many countries. This is because of the six-month validity rule that you'll find applies to most European countries in the Schengen Area — including France, Italy and Spain — which all require your passport to be valid for a minimum of six months after entry.

Europe isn't the only place you need to be careful: This six-month validity rule also applies to large portions of Africa, Asia and South America. Additionally, many other countries are even stricter and enforce three-month validity requirements for passports. This can further limit your travel options if your passport expiration date is looming.

Couple that with wait times for passport renewals — which range from two to three weeks for expedited service to six to eight weeks for regular processing — in the U.S. In the United Kingdom, wait times can last at least three weeks for regular processing, one week for expedited service or one day if you can travel to a passport office for the fast-track service. With wait times in mind, if you're not diligent, you can quickly find yourself traveling nowhere soon.

Don't despair, though. You can still travel internationally with just a month or two left on your passport before expiration. I learned this firsthand when researching vacation alternatives for my family. I had to cancel our spring break trip to Kenya (with a six-month passport validity requirement, plus a visa) after I discovered my son's five-year passport would expire a month after our planned trip.

Wondering where you should head instead? Here are all the options where passports need to only be valid at the time of entry or for the duration of your stay. Note, though, that you will still need a blank passport page for an entry stamp unless otherwise noted below.

The Bahamas and Bermuda

If you're looking for Caribbean surf and sun, these two countries will welcome you as long as your passport is valid at the time of entry. Extra bonus: Both Bermuda and the Bahamas are included in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's 15 international preclearance locations . The Bahamas also offers TSA PreCheck in Nassau , making your return to the U.S. almost as easy as a domestic trip.

Oh, Canada . Thank you for being a friend. The entire country — including summer favorites such as Victoria and Vancouver in the west and Francophile destinations like Montreal and Quebec, plus Toronto, in the east — only requires a passport to be valid at your entry date. Like Bermuda and the Bahamas, Canada also offers CBP's preclearance program at locations in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta; Toronto; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Montreal; Ottawa, Ontario; Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

United Kingdom

England turned out to be my family's spring break savior. London provided an easy getaway from the East Coast, and there was nonstop airfare available to book within a short time frame. If you choose this option, you can visit Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with the same passport as long as it's valid for the duration of your stay. (Note, though, that you can't combine a trip to the U.K. with European countries that have three- or six-month passport validity requirements.)

The Emerald Isle is another easy-to-reach country from the U.S. (and another spot my family has visited for a surprisingly sunny spring break in the past). Ireland only requires your passport to be valid for the duration of your stay. Extra bonus: Customs preclearance is available at airports in Dublin and Shannon before you return home.

Another easy destination to reach from much of the U.S. is Mexico , and it doesn't require passports to be valid past the duration of your stay.

Long-haul travel is an option with a passport that has a short validity. Head directly to the Seychelles , a country comprising 115 sun-kissed islands off the eastern coast of southern Africa. You'll need a passport valid for the duration of your stay (and plenty of sunscreen).

It's worth noting that there are several U.S. territories and commonwealth islands where you won't need a passport at all to visit, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

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The Countries You Can Visit With 3, 2 or Less Months Left On Your Passport

Folks may also use a variety of deciding factors in determining where they decide to visit. Case in point, Joe and I usually travel to places because we actively want to visit them. If you’ve been reading our stuff for a while, you’ve undoubtedly seen our posts about our visits to Schlitterbahn, NYC, Austria and Germany, Key West, etc. – those were all places we wanted to see.

When Covid originally hit, our priorities for travel changed. We went to Helen, Georgia, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and a couple of beaches in Florida because they offered lots of outdoor activities and we saw them as being “safer” than crowded, indoor locales. And heck, Iceland was never even on our radar! But in the summer of 2021, when we were still bummed about having to cancel our Japan trip for the second time, they were willing to allow vaccinated Americans to visit. So we did, “just because we could” (it turned out we loved Iceland and now want to drive the Diamond Circle, on the northern side of the country).

Other people are less picky than us (not saying that’s good or bad; it just “is”) and may travel because of an airline sale. If they can score a $29 flight to Cancun or a $79 flight to Europe, they’re there! Or maybe their work determines when and for how long they can travel, which may play a role in where they go.

And then there are the people who want to travel internationally but realize they may be limited because of how much time is left before their passport expires (again, no judgements – sometimes people forget). Most countries require your passport to have at least 6 months left on them, but these countries allow you to enter with less time than that .

OK, but what if you only have 3 months left on your passport? Or worse, 2? How about less than that? Your options obviously start to become more limited with the less time left on your passport, but there are still some places you can go. Heads up that many of the ones that allow you to have just 3 months specifically require you to have at least 3 months after your time of departure , so count your days ;-).

Passport must be valid at time of entry and departure. However keep in mind that if your flight(s) have a stopover in any of the Schengen countries, your passport will then need to be valid for at least 3 months past your departure date.

The Bahamas

Your passport must be valid at time of entry. Two pages are required for entry stamp.

Passport must be valid at time of entry. Must have one blank page for entry stamp.

Passport must be valid at time of entry. If you’re transiting Canada en route to Europe, your passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area . Must have one blank page.

Passport must be valid for three months after the planned date of departure . One page is required for an entry stamp.

Passport must be valid for the duration of your stay in Ireland and must have at least one page.

Passport must be valid at time of entry. Must have one blank page per stamp.

The Schengen Region

Officially, you’re only supposed to need 3 months to enter the 26 Schengen Countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland). However, the rules for each country vary in terms of passport requirements.

• Belgium – Passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area and must have 2 pages minimum.
• Estonia – Passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your stay , with 1 page per entry stamp.
• France – Passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area and must have at least one blank page for stamps.
• Germany – Passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area and must have 2 pages.
• Hungary – Passport required to have three months validity beyond planned departure date from the Schengen area (although six months validity is recommended) and must have 1 page per stamp.
• Iceland – Three months required, six months recommended beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area , and two pages required for entry stamp.
• Italy – Six months validity recommended. At least 3 months validity beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area and two pages required for entry stamp.
• Malta – Passport must be valid for at least three months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area and must have one page for entry stamp.
• Netherlands – A passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the planned date of departure from the Schengen area . Two pages required for entry stamp.
• Poland – Six months remaining validity strongly recommended; at least three months remaining validity beyond planned departure from the Schengen area is required.
• Slovenia – Six months recommended; at least three months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area . One page required for entry stamp.
• Spain – 6 months recommended, 3 months beyond your date of departure is required , and 1 page per stamp.
• Sweden – Passport must be valid at least three months beyond the period of stay , and have space for entry and exit stamps.

Passport must be valid for duration of stay and one blank page required.

United Kingdom

Passport must be valid for the duration of your stay in the United Kingdom (At least six months remaining validity is required for onward travel to many other countries). Must have one blank page.

2 Months or less

The seychelles.

Check the State Department’s website for more specifics.

Feature Photo: pxfuel

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Your valid passport may not get you where you want to go. Here’s why.

Travel is ramping up again. But if you’re hoping to travel internationally later this year, you should take a look at your passport. If it’s close to expiring, you may already have a problem.

That is because countries and airlines have strict passport-expiration rules. To be safe, your passport needs to be valid for at least six months after the start of your trip. It is something too many people don’t realize until it’s too late.

When Ted Kelley and his wife, Suzanne, tried to board a Lufthansa flight in Boston for their 50th wedding anniversary trip to Italy (pre-pandemic), an airline representative turned the couple away at the ticket counter. The reason? To enter Italy, you need at least 90 days of validity on your passport, even if you plan to return before that time. Suzanne’s expired before then.

“The Lufthansa employee said we could rebook for the next day,” says Kelley, a retired human resources executive from North Attleboro, Mass., so he hurried to the passport office in Boston and paid for an emergency renewal. The couple flew to Florence the following day, but the airline charged an extra $17,766 for their business class seats. It was an expensive mistake.

And, it turns out, a surprisingly common one.

Doctors advise against traveling immediately after your vaccination. Here’s why.

Sally Greenberg was caught off-guard when her spouse was not allowed to board a flight they had booked from D.C., to Copenhagen last year.

“She had to leave Dulles Airport, get a taxi home, go to Kinko’s, get a new passport picture that night, and then wake up in the morning and get in line at the emergency passport office near the State Department with many, many other people,” Greenberg recalls. The airline, SAS, charged an extra $850 to change the flights.

“I asked my staff, and 80 percent of people said they had no idea you needed a passport with at least six months validity before traveling,” says Greenberg, the executive director of the National Consumers League , a nonprofit organization. “Consumers need to be sure to check their passports.”

Passport validity requirements exist because countries do not want visitors to overstay their visas. And airlines, wary of violating a country’s entry requirements, are playing it extra safe. But to travelers, the rules can seem arbitrary and unfair.

Here is how Jonathan Goldman, an IT director from Annandale, Va., sees it. He pays the State Department $145 for a new passport, which lasts 10 years. But some countries require a minimum validity of six months. That means he does not get a full 10 years of use out of his passport, something he says the State Department should rectify.

The problem is that the State Department does not set the passport validity requirements of other countries.

To avoid an unwelcome and costly disruption to your travel plans, you can find passport information on the State Department’s website or run your itinerary through the International Air Transport Association’s free document checker to verify your documentation requirements.

Some popular countries, including Italy, have a three-month rule, but many require a minimum of six. That includes most of the Caribbean, European countries such as France and Germany, and most Asian countries.

What would happen if the ticket agent waves you onto the plane, anyway? Maybe nothing.

I failed to check the expiration date on my son’s passport before a one-month trip to France and Germany a few years ago. It had about five months left on it. I didn’t spot the problem until the day before our trip. It was a day’s drive to the closest passport office, so I decided to take a chance. No one noticed the discrepancy, fortunately. But I wouldn’t recommend this approach.

Consider the experience of Nicole Sunderland, who found herself in a similar situation in January 2020. She showed up for a flight to Turkey with 5 months and 29 days left on her passport, missing the cutoff by just one day.

“I was told by multiple people, including the tour provider, that it would be okay,” says Sunderland, a travel photographer . “I arrived in Turkey, and suddenly, it was not okay.”

Although immigration agents allowed her to enter the country, she had to show proof, several times, that she had booked a return trip and felt “hassled” at every turn. Still, she adds, Turkey was one of her favorite destinations, and she will return — with a passport that meets requirements.

Domenic Savaglio says some ticket and customs agents ignore the six-month rule, which explains how my son got into France. But if you are applying for a visa, expiration rules are more strictly enforced.

“Travelers should renew their passport six to eight months before it expires to avoid this problem,” says Savaglio, who writes a blog about passports and visas called Citizen of Travel . “Don’t risk being held up in customs or denied entry to your destination country. Customs enforcement around the world reserves the right to do that if they see fit.”

It is not just the destination country’s requirements you have to worry about. Airlines have passport expiration rules of their own, as Anita Tolani discovered. Tolani, a lawyer from Bethesda, Md., tried to board a flight from the D.C. area to Nassau, Bahamas, for a 2017 family vacation.

“The gate agent would not allow my daughter to travel,” she recalls. Although the Bahamas’ rules are clear — the island nation requires only that a passport be valid at the time of entry — American requires six months of passport validity for international flights, no matter where you are going. The pair had to stay home.

Eventually, American issued Tolani credits for the value of the flights, plus two $200 vouchers to make up for the missed vacation.

Greenberg, the consumer advocate, says airlines should notify passengers about passport validity requirements when they book tickets.

“They shouldn’t sell you the ticket if [the passport] doesn’t meet the six-month test,” she says. “I hate to be cynical, but I gotta believe that the airlines are using this as another opportunity to rake in some extra bucks.”

If you are traveling internationally, I suggest that you make sure your passport will not need to be renewed for six months, even if you don’t think your destination has such a requirement. Want to play it safe? Make it eight.

Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Email him at [email protected] .

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Can You Fly with an Expired Passport?

Lee is a freelance travel writer and podcast host based in Nashville, Tennessee. He loves to travel with his wife and two children using miles and points. Lee has held the Southwest Companion Pass since 2007 and enjoys being spoiled thanks to his Kimpton Inner Circle status.

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It's not likely you can travel with an expired passport, as a passport is generally required for international air travel. It also doubles as a valid form of ID for domestic U.S. travel.

If you realize your passport has expired and you have immediate travel plans, you'll need to check the rules for the country you're visiting and quickly submit an application for a new passport.

Learn why and when you need a passport to travel, how to renew your passport and what the rules are for traveling with an expired passport.

Why do you need a passport to travel?

A passport is a standardized form of government identification for those traveling internationally, though it can often be used for identification purposes domestically, too.

Passports ensure that travelers are who they say they are when entering or leaving a country or in other situations when identification is necessary. In most circumstances, everyone entering or leaving a country by land, sea or air needs to have their own passport, even if they’re a child, toddler or baby.

Generally, U.S. passports must be valid for six months beyond the traveler’s departure date to enter another country. However, some countries allow entry to travelers with only three months’ validity on their passport, and others have different regulations altogether. It’s important to verify the country’s rules where you’re planning to travel to ensure you can enter.

» Learn more: Do you need a passport to book an international flight?

How do you renew a passport?

Adult passports are valid for 10 years, and travelers can renew them by submitting an application to the U.S. Department of State.

If your passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago, you must apply for a new one. Child passports for those under 16 expire after five years and cannot be renewed.

To renew your passport, follow these steps:

Complete a passport renewal application ( Form DS-82 ).

Get passport photos taken.

Mail in your completed application and photos along with your current or expired passport and the required fees.

Currently, it takes up to 10 weeks to get a new passport or renew an existing one. However, there are ways to reduce the time it takes to get a new passport if you need it faster.

Expedited processing . By choosing expedited processing for an additional $60, your passport can be issued in three to five weeks.

Expedited delivery . Applicants can pay $19.53 for expedited delivery from the U.S. Postal Service. This upgrade delivers your new passport to you one to two days after it is mailed.

Urgent travel . This service is available by appointment at a passport agency and is for those with urgent travel plans within the next 14 days (or five days if you’ve already applied by mail). There is no fee for the appointment but spots are limited.

Emergency . In life-or-death situations that require travel within 72 hours, you may be able to obtain a passport the same day or the next day.

Passport expeditors or courier companies are another option to get your passport more quickly. These private, third-party companies are allowed to submit expedited passport applications on behalf of their customers. These agencies typically charge additional fees on top of the standard application and expedited service fees.

» Learn more: How much does a passport cost?

Can you fly with an expired passport?

Typically, travelers are required to have valid identification when flying. However, the rules can vary depending on whether you’re flying domestically or internationally.

Can you travel domestically with an expired passport?

A passport isn’t required for U.S. citizens traveling within the United States. If you’re flying within the U.S. and your passport has expired, it’s best to use another form of government identification. Forms of ID that are accepted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the airlines include state-issued driver’s licenses, state-issued ID cards and military ID.

If you’re traveling with an expired passport and don’t have one of the forms of ID listed above, you may still be able to fly if your passport hasn’t expired more than 12 months ago. However, you may be asked to show secondary forms of identification to prove your identity.

Can you fly with an expired passport to another country?

Traveling internationally requires a valid passport to depart the U.S. and/or return from a foreign country.

There are a few exceptions for passengers traveling within the Western Hemisphere. These include a NEXUS card when returning from Canada, a Merchant Mariner Document when traveling on official business or a Military Identification Card when traveling on official orders.

Traveling with expired passport rules during COVID

During the pandemic, the U.S. government issued a temporary order allowing those with an expired passport to fly home to the U.S. This rule granted travelers with passports expiring on or after Jan. 1, 2020, to return directly to the U.S. until June 30, 2022. This exception has since expired and is no longer valid.

» Learn more: Cruises where you don’t need a passport

What if your passport expired and you need to travel tomorrow?

If you’re traveling within three business days because of a life-or-death emergency of one of your immediate family members, you may be able to get a new passport the same day . Here’s how to get a passport quickly for next-day travel:

Get documentation of the emergency. This could be a death certificate, letter from a mortuary or a letter from a hospital explaining your family member’s condition. It must be translated by a professional if it’s not in English.

Obtain proof of your upcoming travel, such as an airline ticket or itinerary.

Complete a passport application and get passport photos taken.

Call the National Passport Information Center at (877) 487-2778 during business hours or (202) 647-4000 during non-business hours.

Explain your situation and why you need to travel right away.

If you qualify, the center will assist you in making an appointment at an eligible passport agency. Note that an appointment is not guaranteed.

Bring proof of the emergency and travel plans, your passport application and payment for all necessary fees to your appointment.

» Learn more: Times when you should renew your passport

Flying with an expired passport recapped

Travelers must have a valid passport when traveling internationally. However, if your passport has expired, you have a few options to get a new passport faster than the standard seven to 10 weeks it currently takes. The fees and process required will depend on how quickly you need your new passport.

In life-or-death situations, you may be able to get a new passport the same day if your international travel is within three business days.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

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To Americans Planning To Travel Abroad: Update Those Passports Before It's Too Late

Michele Kelemen

As Americans come out of a year of COVID-19 lockdowns, some are looking to travel abroad again. But they'd better check those passport expiration dates, since it takes time to get them renewed.

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Six Months Passport Validity Rule

What is the six-month passport validity rule? When traveling overseas, most people know that a valid United States passport is required to enter an international destination. But, what is unknown to the traveler is that some countries would need to have enough six-month validity on their passport to travel to the country known as the six-month validity passport rule for visitors .  Therefore, if your passport expires within the next six months or, in some cases, three months, some countries will refuse to give you entry into the country.

Hence, this rule is in place so that if the unexpected visitor needs to stay for up to six months, his/her passport would be valid to leave the country.

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What is the Six Month Passport Validity Rule?

The 6 Month Validity Rule is imposed by foreign countries and not by the United States of America. It means that your passport should be valid for more than six months before you can enter a foreign country that imposes the six-month rule. This rule is imposed by some of the countries we have listed below. This rule is prevalent in the Asian continent, such as China and Hong Kong.

Which Countries Require Six Months on Passport?

When visiting another country, remember that the six-month rule is enforced by countries outside the US, not by the US. Hence, it’s important to know the rules when entering or leaving to avoid any issues.

Countries That Require a 3-Month Passport Rule?

Which countries need you to have a passport that is valid for three months or more? As a traveler, it’s important to know the requirements for international travel. One important factor to consider is the validity of your passport. While most countries require a passport to be valid for at least six months, there are some that have a 3 months passport rule.

Other Countries with Passport Validity Requirements

U.s. citizens entering u.s. with a passport expiring in 6 months.

The six-month validity requirement does NOT apply to an American citizen using a U.S. passport to enter the United States or Canada. He/she may do so up until the date of expiration of the passport.

Even though many countries implemented the six-month validity rule, other restrictions are enforced to enter these countries. Some require a passport to have one clean page per stamp or at least one available sheet. Also, a visa is a requirement to enter some countries. Be aware of this significant document because without it, when it is required, you will not be allowed to board your flight or enter the country you plan to visit.

Having a passport with plenty of validity before travel is best and wise. Also, it is necessary to know some laws of the country you plan to visit to avoid any mishaps or know what to do when you are there.

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Passport Expiration Date: What are the Rules to Travel?

Can you travel with an expired passport or one that is about to? What is the 6 months passport rule? Here's what you should know about passport expiration date.

Thomas Busson

In a simple world, you’d be able to travel and stay abroad until you reach your passport expiration date.

But this isn’t a simple world.

You could be refused entry to a country even if your passport is valid and will still be valid by the end of your stay. That’s because a non-expired passport is not synonymous with passport validity.

So before getting ready with our travel packing checklist , you might want to look at your passport expiration date carefully and check the passport expiration rules of the country you’re heading to.

This guide contains everything you need to know about the validity of your precious travel document, including:

• Where to find the expiration date of your passport
• How to know if you can travel, considering this date of expiry
• When you should apply for passport renewal

How to Check Your Passport Expiration Date

Where is the expiry date on a passport.

Finding the expiration date on a passport is usually straightforward. It’s located on the data page, which is the first page of most passports.

On this page, you will also see the traveller’s picture, personal details such as nationality and date of birth.

More importantly in this situation, this page contains the date of issue and the date of expiration of your passport. It should be located on the bottom-right corner, next to the photograph.

As a rule of thumb, a passport is no longer valid 10 or 15 years after it was issued. BUT keep reading to know why you should take your passport expiration date with a grain of salt.

Can I check my passport expiration online?

This kind of personal service is not available in every country. You should check your country’s passport website to know if you can check your passport expiration date online.

However, to do so, you’ll need your passport number, which is indicated… on your passport. If you have your passport with you, there’s no need to check its expiration date online, since it’s already indicated on the first page!

The only reasons why you’d want to check this online is if this particular information has for some reason become illisible on the page or if you’ve lost your passport. In both cases, the validity of your passport is compromised and you must renew your passport ASAP.

Passport Expiration Rules: How Close to Passport Expiration Can I Travel?

As mentioned several times already, there is more to passport expiration than the date indicated on your passport. Each country has their own passport expiration rules and entry requirements.

What is the Six Months Rule for passports?

Perhaps the most common of those rules is the “Six Months Rules”, named so because the countries that enforce this rule require that your passport be valid 6 months past your travel date.

Why is that?

Well, passport expiration date is not the only thing that authorities take into account when considering your right to entry in their country: they also look at the duration of your stay.

Most countries let you stay for up to 3 months without a visa. That’s why they require at least 3 months validity on your passport past your departure date.

But a few countries, including in Europe, have expanded the passport validity requirement to 6 months. Those include:

• Burma (Myanmar)
• Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Czech Republic
• Ecuador (including Galápagos Islands)
• French Polynesia
• Netherlands
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Switzerland
• Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Trinidad & Tobago
• United Arab Emirates

Can you travel with a passport that expires in 2 months?

It depends where you’re travelling to and from, but in general, it’s best to have a buffer of at least 6 months.

That being said, if you forgot to pay attention to the soon expiration of your passport, you may still have a chance to be allowed in the country if you have proof of your return date. For example, if you booked a return flight, it would help to show the immigration agent that you are indeed planning on leaving the country before your passport expires.

Similarly, if you can prove that you already have a booked appointment to renew your passport, they may let you in.

Can you travel with an expired passport?

You must be eager to reap the benefits of traveling but if you're traveling internationally, not a chance. A soon-to-expire passport is already going to put your trip in jeopardy - an expired one offers virtually no chance of safe departure.

Follow the guidelines formulated by the Department of State and local authorities in your country of destination to renew your passport before your trip, whether it is expired or about to.

You do NOT want to leave the decision to let you in up to border control.

Can you book a flight with an expired passport?

Yes, because the airline doesn’t request a passport at the time of booking. However, you’ll hit a wall when you have to check-in for your flight: whether you’re checking in online or at the airport, for international travel, the airline will request your passport details, including its expiration date.

Should your passport be expired, you won’t even be able to check-in. Don’t even think about lying about it: you’d only be postponing the inevitable and be denied boarding at the airport. And you won’t get a denied boarding compensation for that.

By the way, you won’t be allowed on a domestic flight with an expired passport either. Once it’s expired, the travel document is invalid.

Bottom line: you can’t take the plane with an expired passport. You need a new passport.

Passport Expiration Renewal: How Close to Expiration Can a Passport be Renewed?

As a rule of thumb, valid passports should be renewed about 8 months prior to expiration.

Why? Because it takes on average 2 months for passport applications to be processed. Since you want to always have a 6 months buffer to travel with some peace of mind (see Six Months Rule above), consider starting the passport renewal process 8 months before your passport expires.

What to do if I realize that my passport is about to expire at the last minute?

It depends on exactly how late this realization occurs. Most national authorities enable passport holders to renew their travel document fast by setting up emergency procedures for this kind of situation.

As you might expect, it will cost you more than the regular replacement of your passport.

How to renew an expired passport?

We have a step-by-step guide on precisely how to renew an expired passport .

You can do so either online, by mail, or in person. Our guide provides information on all these options, as well as the documents you’ll need to provide, including a valid passport photo .

Note that this is also valid if you’ve lost your passport .

What to do with your expired passport?

Even after receiving your new, valid passport, you want to be careful with that old, expired one.

First, know that even expired, your passport may serve as a proof of citizenship in most countries.

Then, and perhaps most importantly, your old passport may still contain valid visas. If that’s a case, when travelling, make sure that you carry both the valid passport and the expired one with this visa stamp.

Now, if your old expired passport no longer holds any value, don’t simply go ahead and put it in the trash. To dispose of your passport, shred or burn it first. This will prevent ill-intentioned people from making fraudulent use of it.

Passport Valid Check: How long is a passport valid?

How long is a passport valid in the us.

In the US, adult passports are valid for 10 years starting from the date of delivery, while a child passport expires after 5 years.

How long is a passport valid in the UK?

Similarly to the US, UK passports are valid for a period of 10 years if you were aged 16 or more at the time of delivery, and only 5 years if you were 15 or less.

Is my passport valid after Brexit?

UK passport holders will still be able to travel to Europe despite the No Deal Brexit. At least until the end of 2020, they’ll be allowed to use the “EU passport” lines at border control. However, UK passports must be valid during the entirety of their trip.

After the end of the year, Brits will need to conform with the Six Months Rule that is enforced in the Schengen Area countries, just like all other non-EU countries. On the bright side, flight compensation rules after Brexit should remain the same.

How long is a passport valid in each country?

Below, you will find an extensive list of countries and how long a passport is valid for them.

One more thing to keep in mind, though: when travelling to specific destinations, not only should your passport not be expired or have at least six months before it does; it should also have several blank pages. That’s to allow for a visa to be printed.

So make sure that you have enough free pages to accommodate a stamp from the entry and exit immigration.

Passport validity in Africa

ALGERIA: 10 years BENIN: 6 years EGYPT: 7 years ERITREA: 5 years ETHIOPIA: 5 years GHANA: 10 years KENYA: 10 years LIBYA: 10 years MOROCCO: 5 years NAMIBIA: 5 years SENEGAL: 5 years SOUTH AFRICA: 10 years SUDAN: 5 years TANZANIA: 10 years TOGOLESE: 5 years TUNISIA: 5 years UGANDA: 10 years

Passport validity in Asia

AFGHANISTAN: 5 years ARMENIA: 10 years AZERBAIJAN: 10 years BAHRAIN: 10 years BANGLADESH: 10 years BRUNEI: 5 years CAMBODIA: 10 years CHINA: 10 years CYPRUS: 10 years HONG KONG: 10 years INDIA: 10 years INDONESIA: 5 years IRAN: 5 years IRAQ: 8 years ISRAEL: 5 or 10 years JAPAN: 5 or 10 years KAZAKHSTAN: 10 years KUWAIT: 5 or 10 years LAOS: 10 years LEBANON: 5 or 10 years MACAO: 10 years MALAYSIA: 5 years MALDIVES: 5 years NEPAL: 10 years PAKISTAN: 5 or 10 years THE PHILIPPINES: 10 years SAUDI ARABIA: 10 years SINGAPORE: 5 years SOUTH KOREA: 10 years SRI LANKA: 10 years TAIWAN: 5 or 10 years TUNISIA: 5 years THAILAND: 5 years TURKEY: 10 years VIETNAM: 10 years YEMENI: 6 years

Passport validity in Europe

ALBANIA: 10 years ANDORRA: 10 years AUSTRIA: 10 years BELARUS: 10 years BELGIUM: 10 years BULGARIA: 5 or 10 years CROATIA: 6 or 10 years CZECH REPUBLIC: 10 years CYPRUS: 10 years DENMARK: 10 years ESTONIA: 10 years FINLAND: 5 years FRANCE: 5 years GERMANY: 10 years GREECE: 5 years GUERNSEY: 10 years HUNGARY: 10 years ICELAND: 10 years IRELAND: 10 years ITALY: 10 years LATVIA: 10 years LIECHTENSTEIN: 10 years LITHUANIA: 10 years LUXEMBOURG: 5 years MALTA: 10 years MOLDOVA: 10 years NETHERLANDS: 10 years NORTH MACEDONIA: 10 years NORWAY: 10 years POLAND: 10 years PORTUGAL: 5 years ROMANIA: 10 years RUSSIA: 10 years SERBIA: 10 years SLOVAKIA: 10 years SPAIN: 10 years SWITZERLAND: 10 years UKRAINE: 10 years UNITED KINGDOM: 10 years

Passport validity in North and Central America

ANGUILLA: 10 years ANTIGUA & BARBUDA: 10 years BARBADOS: 10 years CANADA: 5 or 10 years CAYMAN ISLANDS: 10 years COSTA RICA: 6 years CUBA: 6 years DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: 6 or 10 years GRENADA: 5 years JAMAICA: 5 or 10 years MEXICO: 1 3, 6 or 10 years PANAMA: 5 years ST.KITTS AND NEVIS: 10 years TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: 10 years UNITED STATES: 10 years

Passport validity in South America

ARGENTINA: 10 years BRAZIL: 10 years CHILE: 5 years COLOMBIA: 10 years ECUADOR: 6 years COSTA RICA: 6 years GUYANA: 5 years PERU: 2 or 5 years URUGUAY: 10 years VENEZUELA: 5 years

Passport validity in Oceania

AUSTRALIA: 10 years NEW ZEALAND: 10 years PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 5 years TONGA: 10 years TUVALUAN: 5 years

I hope this was helpful to you!

Don't forget to claim compensation if your flight is disrupted.

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What is the 6-month passport rule.

If your passport is set to expire in six months or less, you may not be able to fly to or from the countries of your choice. That’s why it’s important to check your passport’s expiration date, especially if you plan to travel soon.

In this article, we’ll review:

• Why your passport needs to be valid for six months
• What countries have a 6-month passport validity rule
• What countries have a 3-month passport validity rule

Countries with other types of passport validity requirements

• If you can be denied entry abroad if your passport is almost expired

Why does my passport need to be valid for six months if I won’t be abroad that long?

The reason behind having a passport valid for six months prior to expiration is mainly because of precaution. If there’s an emergency or a sudden reason you have to stay abroad longer than expected, you’ll want to have a valid passport that can allow you to travel to/from the countries you need to visit.

What countries have 6-month passport validity rule?

According to U.S. Department of State , countries requiring six months of validity include:

• Saudi Arabia
• The United Arab Emirates

What countries have a 3-month passport validity rule?

According to U.S. Department of State, European countries within the Schengen zone generally have a 3-month validity requirement. The Schengen zone includes 26 countries that allow people to travel without needing a passport. These include:

• Czech Republic
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Switzerland

Additionally, the following countries also have the 3-month expiration rule:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

According to U.S. Department of State, Hong Kong and Macau have a 1-month validity requirement.

Additionally, the following countries have a three-month validity requirement where your passport cannot be expired within three months of the date you leave the country:

• North Macedonia

Can I be denied entry abroad if my passport is almost expired?

Yes. You'll want to check with specific countries about their rules, as in some cases you may be able to enter/leave a country within the 3-month expiration period. However, if your passport is close to expiring (anywhere from 3–6 months) you may be denied entry abroad. If you find yourself in this predicament, you may be able to contact your local embassy about expediting a passport renewal and/or receive an emergency , limited-validity passport.

If you’re looking to travel abroad soon, it’s essential to review your passport to see if it will expire soon. Because it can take time to renew a passport, you’ll want to renew it sooner rather than later so that you have a valid passport in time of your travel.

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• Rules for travelling with a soon-to-be expired passport

People can often forget to check the expiration date on their passports before travelling, assuming that as long as it’s in date then they will be fine. Crucially, a lot of countries still need a certain amount of time on a passport before they allow you in. Find out whether you can travel when your passport is about to expire with our handy guide.

How long should you have left on your passport?

Many people  pack their bags for a holiday or business trip with just a casual glance at their passport expiration date, but if it’s due to expire you may be refused entry. While most countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA just need your passport to be valid for the length of your stay,

other countries such as China, Thailand, Egypt and Turkey need at least six months. Always check the specific entry requirements for the country you are visiting on the GOV.UK website. You should make sure that your passport meets the following rules:

• The passport issue date is less than 10 years before day of arrival in the EU
• The passport expiry date is at least three months after intended day of departure from EU

In general, many countries that require a visa to enter will require at least six months validity on your passport when entering the country, so make sure you find out whether your passport has long enough before it expires before you travel.

It's easy to get your passport application or renewal right first time.

How do i find out how long i need on my passport.

The best way to find out if your passport is valid for travel to certain countries is to check the Travel Advice section of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) website. Choose the country you’re visiting, before clicking on ‘Entry requirements’ and scrolling down to ‘Passport validity’.

Passport rules for different countries

All countries will have their own rules concerning passport validity and expiration rules. Here’s a list of the most common ones:

Your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay.

Your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay, but if you have less than six months validity it may take longer to pass through immigration control.

Your passport should have at least six months validity.

European Union

For most European countries, HM Passport Office recommend that the passport expiry date is at least three months after intended day of departure from EU. Those countries are:

*However, if you’re travelling to the north of Cyprus, your passport should have at least six months validity.

Czech Republic

Netherlands

Your passport must be machine readable, with two blank pages for your visa and valid for a minimum of 180 days at the time of entry into India.

New Zealand

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of one month from the date of exit.

South Africa

Rules state that your passport should be valid for at least 30 days from the date of exit, but it’s recommended that you have at least six months on your passport before it expires. Your passport should also have at least two blank pages when you enter or leave South Africa.

Your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay. However, your passport must be a biometric ePassport with the silver camera symbol on the front. There are also a number of other rules concerning entry to the USA , which you should check before travelling.

What to do if you need a new passport

If you need to renew your passport and have more than four weeks before you travel, pick up an application form from your local Post Office or use our online Passport Check & Send process.

If you need your passport more urgently, then read the Government’s official passport advice to find out more on soon to expire passports.

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The Six Month Validity Rule for U.S. Passports - List of Countries

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The list is organized by continents with countries listed in alphabetical order. Be aware that many of the countries on the list also require a visa for entry.

Europe is absent from this list. Due to stricter border controls in many European countries, the US State Department recommends that American citizens traveling to the countries in the Schengen Area should have a passport with six months of remaining validity. That said, the official requirement is only three months validity . While the rules for entering the countries that are a part of the Schengen Agreement are slated to change with the introduction of the ETIAS visa waiver program in 2025, this is not expected to change the required amount of passport validity required for entry.

For more, check out our complete guide to Africa Travel Document Requirements

For more, check out our complete guide to Asia Travel Document Requirements

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How many months do I need on my passport to travel?

Everything you need to know about passport validity — and which destinations demand what.

H aving a valid passport is essential for international travel, but countries have different rules around when a passport expires — and it’s not necessarily the date shown on your document. Following Brexit , for example, UK passport holders now need to have a passport that’s less than ten years old when they enter an EU member state, with an expiry date that’s at least three months after the day they leave.

For some destinations, a valid passport isn’t the only requirement — you may also need to have full blank pages for visa and entry and exit stamps. Here’s everything you need to know, including the entry requirements for some of the most popular destinations for British travellers.

Main photo: wherever you’re going, check the passport requirements (Alamy)

Popular destinations

• Spain : passport must be less than ten years old when you enter the country and valid for at least three months after the day you leave

• Greece : less than ten years old when you enter the country and valid for at least three months after the day you leave

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• France : less than ten years old when you enter the country and valid for at least three months after the day you leave

• Italy : less than ten years old when you enter the country and valid for at least three months after the day you leave

• US : passport must be valid for duration of stay, no additional validity required

Less than three months needed

• Argentina : passport must be valid for duration of stay

• Australia : valid for duration of stay

• Barbados : valid for duration of stay

• Bermuda : valid for duration of stay

• Canada : valid for duration of stay

• Chile : valid for duration of stay

• Cuba : valid for two months after departure

• Japan : valid for duration of stay

• Jamaica : valid for duration of stay

• Mexico : valid for duration of stay.

• Morocco : valid for duration of stay but three additional months is advisable

• Seychelles : valid for duration of stay

• St Lucia : valid for duration of stay

• Tunisia: valid for duration of stay

Three months needed

• EU countries ( Austria , Belgium , Bulgaria, Croatia , Cyprus , Czech Republic , Denmark , Estonia, Finland , France , Germany, Greece , Hungary , Ireland , Italy , Latvia , Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta , Netherlands , Poland , Portugal , Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia , Spain and Sweden ): passport must be valid from day after departure and less than ten years old

• Iceland : passport must be valid from day after departure and less than ten years old

• New Zealand : from arrival

• Norway : from day after departure and less than ten years old

• Switzerland : from day after departure and less than ten years old

Six months needed

• Anguilla : passport must be valid for six months from arrival

• Antigua and Barbuda: from arrival

• Bahamas : from departure

• Belize : from arrival

• Brazil : from arrival

• Bolivia: from arrival

• China : from arrival

• Colombia : from arrival

• Dominican Republic : from arrival

• Indonesia : from arrival

• Israel : from arrival

• Egypt : from arrival

• Grenada : from arrival

• Jordan : from arrival

• Malaysia : from arrival

• Maldives : from arrival

• Peru : from arrival

• Qatar : from arrival

• Singapore : from arrival

• Sri Lanka : from arrival

• Taiwan: from arrival

• Thailand : from arrival

• UAE : from arrival

• Vietnam : from arrival

How much do passports cost?

• Online applications made from within the UK cost £82.50 for adults and £53.50 for children

• Postal applications cost £93 for adults and £64 for children

Which countries require blank pages in your passport?

Some countries require full blank pages for visas on arrival as well as entry and exit stamps. In some cases, these blank pages need to be consecutive. Double check with the embassy before you travel.

• India : passport must be valid 180 days from visa application and arrival, and contain two blank pages

• Kenya : valid six months from arrival, plus two blank pages

• Mauritius : valid for duration of stay, plus a blank page

• Namibia : valid six months from arrival, plus a blank page

• Rwanda: valid six months from arrival, plus a blank page

• Turkey : valid six months from arrival, plus a blank page

• South Africa : valid for six months from arrival and 30 days on departure, plus two blank pages

How do I find out how long I need on my passport?

The Foreign Office has a full list of entry requirements for different countries, including passport validity. It assumes you are travelling on a full, standard British passport. If you have a passport issued from a British Overseas Territory, the entry requirements may be different for some destinations. You should also double check details with the embassy of the country you’re visiting.

What’s the minimum passport validity to enter the UK?

The UK government requires visitors from other countries to have a passport (or other valid ID if from EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein) that is valid for the duration of their stay. No additional validity is required.

How do I get a new passport if I need one?

You can apply for a new passport online via the government’s website. It costs £82.50 for a standard adult passport (valid 10 years), or £53.50 for a child under 16 (valid five years), and you’ll need a credit or debit card for this. Alternatively you can apply for one through the post; the forms for postal applications are available through the Post Office and it costs £93 for an adult or £64 for a child.

You’ll need to send in certain documents which usually include a birth certificate if it’s your first passport, or your previous passport if you’re renewing. The requirements vary according to your circumstances but the application form will tell you what you need.

• Most powerful passports in the world

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How many months do I need left on my UK passport before I travel?

Many countries across the world require you to have a few months left on your passport at the time of travel – here are the main holiday destinations to watch out for, article bookmarked.

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You might think that you can just hop on a plane with an in-date passport and travel the world. In fact, many countries demand that visitors have months left on their passport before it expires.

Some – including Australia , Canada and the US – only require your travel document to be in date for the duration of your trip.

But others give a more restrictive time frame, with no real pattern from region to region – while most of Asia requires six months on your passport, for example, different Caribbean islands demand different time frames.

In some destinations, you can also be caught out for not having enough space left in your passport for new immigration stamps.

Here are the key passport validity rules for British passports for the world’s top holiday destinations.

Valid for the duration of your stay

These countries only ask that your passport is valid until the day you leave the country.

*While this is technically the rule for Canada, if you have six months or less on your passport, it may take longer for you to get through immigration.

Valid for one day

Costa Rica requires Britons to have one day’s validity from the day of their departure.

Valid for three months

All EU countries, plus those in the Schengen Area (excluding Ireland) require you to have three months left on your passport from the day you plan to leave. Your passport must also be less than 10 years old on the day you enter the country. This is true for the following countries:

• Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Vatican City

These non-European countries also require three months’ validity on your day of departure:

• British Virgin Islands
• French Polynesia
• New Zealand
• South Korea

Valid for six months

In most cases, this means valid for six months from the date you arrive in the country, but it’s worth checking the Foreign Office’s individual entry requirements for the country you’re visiting to make sure.

• Antigua and Barbuda
• The Bahamas
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador (& Galapagos Islands)
• Madagascar*
• Philippines
• South Africa*
• United Arab Emirates

*South Africa, Madagascar, Kenya also require you to have two blank pages left in your passport; Namibia requires one blank page.

Valid for 180 days

India requires a more specific 180 days of validity from the date you arrive. It also asks visitors to have two blank pages available for their visa.

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Can you get a same-day passport? We break down your options for a last-minute renewal or replacement

S ome travel mistakes are minor and can be solved pretty easily. Others — like an expired passport — can ruin your vacation before it even starts. Most countries will not allow you to travel with a soon-to-expire passport, so you could be out of luck if yours is close to the expiration date.

Related: When and how to renew your passport, according to the State Department

Of course, our No. 1 tip is to do whatever is necessary to avoid this dilemma in the first place. Here at TPG, we are big fans of calendar reminders that alert you when it's time to renew your passport. That said, you probably wouldn't be reading this if you weren't worried that your upcoming trip could be jeopardized.

Regardless of your exact circumstances, we have some tips for your predicament. Here's what you need to know to get a same-day passport — and save your vacation.

Passport entry requirements

Each country has its own passport validity requirements, but according to the U.S. Department of State , several countries say that your passport should not be within six months of expiring at the time of entry. Just to be safe, it's best to renew your passport before it hits that six-month mark, regardless of where you plan to travel.

Related: Best credit cards with travel insurance

First-time adult passport applicants must apply in person after gathering and preparing their passport application documents . Those renewing their passports can do so via mail or online, though the online passport renewal system is currently limited to a certain number of applicants each day on a first-come, first-served basis.

However, the passport application or renewal process takes up to two months, even if you renew online. Current passport processing times can take between six to eight weeks for routine processing and two to three weeks for expedited processing.

If you can't wait two to eight weeks for your passport, you may be able to get an urgent passport appointment as long as you have international travel booked within the next 14 calendar days, need a foreign visa within four weeks or have a life-or-death emergency.

Can you get a same-day passport?

In short, yes, but it may not be easy.

Same-day passport processing can only be done in person at one of the State Department's 26 passport agencies and centers . If you have not completed your passport application (required for new applicants and renewals), you should visit the Online Passport Appointment System to determine if you qualify for a same-day passport appointment. If you qualify, you'll be directed to enter your email address and phone number to verify your identity. From there, you can search a list of passport agencies and their appointment availability.

If you have already applied, you can call 1-877-487-2778 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time on Mondays through Fridays or on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time to request an appointment.

Related: 5 things I learned when renewing my passport for the first time

Either way, same-day appointments (or even appointments a few days out) are extremely limited, and you may have to travel a significant distance to secure one.

If no appointments are available, you can explain your circumstances to a State Department customer service agent, and they should be able to arrange a walk-in window at a passport agency. The agency could be an hourslong drive or more from your home, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

You'll need to bring the following:

• Your completed passport application or renewal form
• Your current passport (for renewals)
• Proof of U.S. citizenship
• Proof of identity
• Proof of booked travel
• A valid passport photo
• Your payment, including the $60 passport expedite fee

When you do arrive, be prepared for a lengthy wait. You will likely not be the only person who needs a same-day passport, so bring your headphones or a book and take a spot in line. When it's your turn, a clerk will review your application or renewal form and give you a time to return and pick up your passport later that day.

When you do return, you could face a second wait to pick up your passport, but it's still better than missing out on your trip.

Bottom line

Although getting a same-day passport is possible, we do not recommend putting yourself through the stress. Be aware of your passport's expiration date, and make sure you allow ample time for processing, whether you are a first-time applicant or renewing your current passport.

Getting a same-day passport can save your vacation — but it's not a great way to start your trip. Still, it's good to be prepared for a worst-case scenario.

Related reading:

• Best credit cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
• If you need a passport quickly, this service may be for you
• This trick could help you bypass long waits for passport renewals
• Not enough travelers are using this Global Entry alternative, the federal government says

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

• Nation & World

You lost your passport. Now what?

While just about every other document is accessible online, a lost passport is one of the last analog emergencies that can derail an international trip.

Here’s a guide to replacing a lost passport according to how fast you need it, how much money you have to spare and where you live. (The process for last-minute renewals of expired passports, by the way, is fairly similar.)

If you’ve got at least three weeks

You’ll be OK. On the State Department website, at travel.state.gov/passports, first report your passport lost and then follow the process for a replacement. On the website, you’ll find a list of 7,500 passport acceptance facilities — including post offices, public libraries and clerk of court offices — where you can make an appointment or, in most cases, come during scheduled walk-in hours. They’ll verify your documents and send them to the State Department, and you’ll get your passport in the mail.

Before the day of your appointment, check what you need to bring, a list that will include at least proof of U.S. citizenship, payment (acceptable forms vary by facility), the right forms (for lost passports, that’s the DS-11 and DS-64) and at most facilities, a properly taken photo.

The “routine” processing time to replace a passport takes six to eight weeks and costs $165; choose the “expedited” service, for an additional $60, to receive your passport in two to three weeks.

You might even get yours “faster than advertised,” said Matt Pierce, a managing director of passport services for the State Department, noting that the pandemic-era backlog was cleared up as of December.

Avoid delays by carefully following instructions, and consider spending an additional $19.53 for faster shipping.

When time is tighter

If your trip is less than three weeks away, you’ll need to take the extra step of going through one of 26 passport processing offices across the United States. If you’re doing it without an outside expediter, you must make an appointment online or over the phone, up to 14 days in advance of your trip.

There are no more walk-ins, an option before the pandemic, but the State Department has increased capacity to eliminate the need for them, Pierce said, and the offices give special priority to documented “life-or-death emergencies” of immediate family members. You’ll need to bring all of your documents, and proof you are traveling soon — like a plane or cruise reservation.

Things can get dicey if you need an appointment in the next day or two. In such cases you can call for an appointment, or contact your local member of Congress.

Laurie Lee, CEO of Chicago-based Swift Passport and Visa Services, an expediter, has seen cases where clients on the verge of missing a wedding or another once-in-a-lifetime event spend hours refreshing the site to find a last-minute appointment, and even end up booking flights across the country if they can find an opening. That, of course, costs both time and money.

At the passport office, the process will be similar, except that you’ll likely be able to pick up your passport later in the day. In most cases, said Pierce, you won’t have to return the next day, but it can happen. (You can also have your passport mailed to you, if you have time.)

Using an expediter

If you have at least three business days and are willing to spend hundreds of dollars for help, consider Swift or one of the other 200-plus agencies registered with the State Department as couriers, or expediters.

Expediters are especially helpful for people who live far from the nearest passport office and cannot or do not want to drive or fly there. But they can also benefit anyone having trouble getting a timely appointment, because they have reserved slots that allow them to bring a client application directly to certain passport offices. Swift, for example, can bring 10 applications a day to the Boston office, and five to the Chicago one. Depending on urgency, Swift’s assistance costs between $155 and $599.

To work with an expediter, you will still need to go to your local passport acceptance facility, like a post office, where workers verify and seal your documents in an envelope, which you then send (or hand-deliver) to the expediter. They’ll take care of the rest, and get your new passport back to you.

What can go wrong

If you’re traveling to a passport agency, leave plenty of time to get there. Screwing up something on the form can also lead to delays that can cost you your trip.

“Common errors include signing in the wrong place, not putting the date on their application, having an incorrectly sized passport photo or not being framed correctly in the photo,” said Steve Diehl, chief corporate development officer of CIBTvisas, a large expediter.

Once you get it

When your passport arrives, make digital and paper copies. Change your number on trusted traveler programs like Global Entry, and remember that if your old passport had a visa in it for the country you’re headed to, you’ll also need to rush a replacement of that.

If you do find your old passport later, keep it as a souvenir: It is no longer valid.

If you lose it while abroad

First of all, try not to. Unless you are traveling in a country that strictly requires you to have your passport on your person at all times, stow it in a hotel safe and carry around a photocopy, plus your driver’s license.

But if you do lose the passport or have it stolen, report it online to protect yourself from identity theft and then contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for an emergency appointment. You’ll need that paper or a digital copy of your passport, plus similar documents to what you would need for a replacement in the United States. You may receive either an actual replacement passport or an emergency version, usually good for one year.

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In a real emergency, you can try a last ditch maneuver: Ask the airline to contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seek permission for you to enter the country without a passport.

Preventive measures

Several expediters advised that many of their clients misplaced their passports during recent moves, so when you pack up your home, be sure to remember where your passport is packed.

Oh, and before you give up on that lost passport, check your home copier or scanner. “I can’t tell you how often people find it in their copy machine,” Lee said.

U.S. to Speed Up Passport Processing With Online Renewals and More Agencies

Dawit Habtemariam , Skift

June 21st, 2024 at 5:49 PM EDT

With faster passport renewals, Americans will have an easier time traveling internationally.

Dawit Habtemariam

In December 2023, the State Department said it had brought passport processing times to their pre-pandemic levels of six to eight weeks. Two moves in the past two weeks could help bring them down further.

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said his office is establishing a half-dozen new passport agencies to meet the demand. This will bring the State Department’s total network to 35 and over 7,400 public passport acceptance facilities nationwide.

And a beta test launched last week allows eligible citizens to renew their passports online. This digital fast-track is available to Americans over 25 living in the U.S., with a limited number of slots opening daily at 1 p.m. Eastern.

“Once fully launched, we expect five million customers to be eligible to renew their passports online each year,” a spokesperson told Skift. “We estimate this would represent two-thirds of annual passport renewals and roughly 25% of all passport applications.”

The new agencies and online renewal option come as passport demand soars to new heights. In fiscal year 2023, the State Department issued a record-breaking 24 million passport books and cards. Today, nearly half of all Americans have passports.

The State Department began beta testing the online renewal option last week and plans to continue for “several months.”

During the pandemic, the State Department had experienced long passport processing times – in 2021, the average wait time reached 18 weeks.

Passports to Feed American Hunger for International Travel

The number of destinations American passport holders can enter visa-free has weakened in the past year. The U.S. passport’s power has fallen from sixth to eighth place, according to the Henley Passport Index , a global immigration consultancy firm.

Americans continue to travel abroad in high numbers this year. Over 9 million citizens departed from the U.S. in March 2024, up 15.4% from last year, according to the International Trade Administration’s latest data.

American hunger for travel, driven in part by a strong dollar , is expected to be a driving force in Europe’s tourism recovery this year, according to UN Tourism.

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: passports , tourism

Money blog: Popular electric car 'has potential fault that could pull it onto wrong side of road'

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering below.

Tuesday 2 July 2024 10:29, UK

• Popular electric car 'has potential fault that could pull it onto wrong side of road'
• Morrisons and Heinz team up to offer free meals
• NatWest and Lloyds hike fees for some current accounts
• Nike to roll out cheaper trainers in bid to boost sales

Essential reads

• Women in Business : 'We don't get invited to golf' - The women who coordinated pregnancies to start virtual cancer care business and raised £5m
• Thinking about switching? These are the cheapest energy tariffs available right now
• Basically... What is income tax?
• Money Problem : 'I hired a car via EasyJet but they are directing my complaint to someone else - what can I do?'
• How to split housework fairly with your partner
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

A popular electric car sold in the UK has a "potentially significant" issue that could veer the driver into oncoming traffic, research has found.

Consumer group Which? says it discovered issues with the MG4's lane-assist technology while testing it on public roads.

It said the system, which is designed to keep the car in lane, twice pulled the car onto the wrong side of the road, with the tester having to use a "significant amount of force" to steer it back.

In another incident on a narrow country road, the lane-assist tech steered the car towards an oncoming vehicle, again forcing the tester to manually intervene.

According to Which?, visibility was good in all cases and the wider road had a "clearly defined centre line, while the country road had a clearly defined edge line".

It said the incidents were noticed during testing outside of controlled lab conditions, and couldn't be repeated in subsequent tests.

The issues come despite MG4 boasting a five-star Euro NCAP score, which takes into account safety features such as lane assist.

A spokesperson for the assessment programme told Which? that manufacturers "have a responsibility to ensure that the vehicle performance seen on a test track is also reflected in on-road driving".

Meanwhile, MG told the consumer watchdog it was "aware of some inconsistencies relating to the lane-departure warning system", making it "oversensitive" in certain conditions.

"We have been working on a continuous improvement programme with the supplier and the relevant regulatory authorities," the company said.

"This has resulted in an improved calibration of the ADAS systems, which we are close to having approved. Once this has been completed, we will implement it as a full software upgrade at no expense to the customer."

MG added that customers can turn off the lane-assist function via the car's touchscreen menu - but it insisted it had received no safety-related reports.

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

The rate of price rises is slowing but consumers are still shopping "more cautiously" at J Sainsbury plc, the company that owns Argos and the Sainsbury's chain of supermarkets announced today. 

"Unseasonal" wet weather in recent weeks dampened some sales.

Argos sales were down a worse-than-expected 6.2%, particularly purchases of consumer electronics, most notably gaming sales. 

As a result, J Sainsbury plc was the biggest share price faller on the FTSE 100 index of most valuable companies with a 4.34% tumble. Overall the index was down 0.38% on Tuesday morning while the larger FTSE 250 list was 0.15% down.

The strength of the euro still means the pound buys less than for the majority of the last month - £1 = €1.1778. Sterling is also down against the dollar, around levels seen six weeks ago. One pound buys $1.2630. 

Bad news for motorists as the oil price is at a two-month high - a barrel of Brent crude oil costs $89.90. It's still below last year's September high point of $98.36. 

Just 18% of companies in the UK are led by women, and while data suggests female entrepreneurs are on the rise, men still receive more funding and are entrusted with higher average loans to get them started.

In an eight-part series every Tuesday, Money blog reporter  Jess Sharp  speaks to women who are bossing it in their respective fields - hearing their stories, struggles and advice for those who want to follow in their footsteps by starting a business.

This week, she has spoken to Kelly McCabe, the co-founder of the UK's first virtual cancer care clinic Perci Health...

When Kelly and her co-founder Morgan Fitzsimons set up their business, they made an unusual decision - they sat down and planned when they'd both have children. 

It's a topic many men will never feel the need to discuss with their business partners, but as two women, it was something they realistically needed to think about. 

"We had a long conversation and made a decision that we would have children at different times so that one person would stay in the business to allow the other to take the time out they needed," Kelly said.

"Of course, you can't plan this thing perfectly, but we were fortunate enough that it kind of happened that way." 

Morgan was the first to have her baby and returned to work after a couple of months off, and Kelly gave birth six months later. 

A month after having her now nearly two-year-old son, Kelly returned to work and Perci Health has continued to grow ever since.

'Whether it was NHS or private care -  I saw the same problem'

Despite Perci Health being a virtual care clinic, Kelly's career background had nothing to do with app development - she started out in the NHS. 

One of the roles she had was helping people with cancer eat and drink while receiving treatment.

Working mostly with people with head and neck cancer, she supported them with tube feeding and their rehabilitation back to solid foods. 

After working in a similar area in private healthcare, she realised all cancer patients were experiencing the same problem.

"There was a universal experience at the end of treatment where you would have your final review with your cancer nurse or oncologist, and they would say 'see you again in six months or 12 months time'," Kelly said. 

"Patients would come back into our follow-up clinics with all sorts of problems they had been living with for six months or 12 months and no one was really managing them.

"They had just be grinning and bearing it, thinking it was just par for the course after having cancer." 

She decided to come up with an idea that would connect people living with cancer with professionals who could provide long-term support and optimise their wellbeing. 

Male investors in a male-bias sector 

With a plan in mind, she reached out to her friend Morgan, who had a background in digital marketing, and the pair got started working weekends and evenings to build their company.

When COVID hit, they made the decision to "just go for it", quit their jobs and put all their focus on the business. 

Their first round of funding came from family and friends, raising £500,000, which gave them enough to pay themselves a reduced salary and hire a small team. 

But more funding was needed, and they started reaching out to investors. 

With Kelly's clinical experience, the issue she was trying to solve in the health care sector seemed "obvious", but the first hurdle she faced was convincing others that it was "important enough to solve". 

"The challenges seemed very obvious to us, but they might not necessarily be obvious to investors, and I think that is particularly true if you're solving a problem that affects women," she said. 

"The majority of investors are still male... and when you are trying to describe yourself as a technology company, then sadly there is still a male bias in that sector."

"I'm really sad to say that it's kind of the old-fashioned things you think of, like a lot of them sell on the golf course or over lunch or going shooting, and we don't get invited to golf or to shoot. 

"You don't get many female-owned technology businesses, so that was a barrier." 

Pregnant, pitching and spotting red flags 

While meeting potential investors, Kelly was heavily pregnant and was "nervous" to explain her situation out of fear it would put them off investing. 

"When I had my first conversation with our now lead investor, I was 38 weeks pregnant, so we just did all the conversations on Zoom," she said. 

"She called and said 'we'd like to invite you in to meet the team and do a formal pitch. Can you do it next week?' and obviously I had to tell her I was heavily pregnant. 

"She could tell I was nervous about telling her... but she said she was sorry that I had to explain myself, and we could just delay the pitch. 

"We pushed it back about six weeks, but not all investors are that understanding, which is why I was so nervous to explain it." 

Unfortunately, Kelly said she was "definitely asked" in the early fundraising rounds if she was planning to have children. 

"The feedback from male investments clubs was that women don't know how they feel and may not return to work after having a baby or their motivation to run a business may change," she said.

"Early on, we were just looking for investment and we would have taken any partner, but now these are the red flags that we look for.

"There is some definite progress to be made."

In total, Kelly has raised £5m and still owns 40% of Perci Health. 

All the challenges

Away from the challenge of fundraising, Kelly also had to deal with life as a new mum, which brought its own challenges as a business owner. 

She explained how having children early in the company's life meant it was still "relatively fragile" and there wasn't the chance to take maternity leave knowing her job would be safe when she returned. 

"There was a bit of a juggle with that and needing to go back to work very quickly after the baby was born, and then the other challenge is childcare," she said. 

"You don't want to be taking too much money out of your business and you're rewarded with equity rather than a salary - but of course, equity doesn't pay for childcare." 

Kelly also found there was an "underestimation" of her abilities from male investors, and it was something she noticed in the choice of language used to describe her. 

"I believe women business owners are underestimated and that is evidenced by the fact that less investment goes to us, but there's research that shows women-owned companies are more profitable," she said. 

"The language they use is interesting. For example, I'm often described as a conservative CEO within the portfolio because I'm focused on financial preservation... but would my male counterpart be seen as such or would he be seen as having optimal control?" 

Kelly's advice

Kelly's top tip is to find a business partner, possibly even two, that can help your business grow. 

"Building a business alone would be significantly harder," she said. 

"Co-founders just help ease the burden when one of you needs to take time out, so find yourself a good business partner." 

She also recommended taking "a lot of time" to build a "strong network", which she said would help "protect you as your business grows". 

"There are a lot of female entrepreneurs or female business networks that are great. Morgan and I are members of lots of them," she added. 

"It's amazing how the amount of advice and support that we have been given for free from other women just wanting to help." 

She said it was important to have a "really thick skin and to be very persistent". 

"Even in the very best businesses, you get those 100 no's before you get that one yes," she added. 

Morrisons is offering shoppers a free jacket potato with Heinz Cheesy Beanz for the next fortnight.

The supermarket chain has joined forces with Heinz to bring back the popular "ask for Henry" initiative which began in 2022 to help people with financial costs during the cost of living crisis.

The complimentary dish is available every day at Morrisons cafes across the country and allows a customer one free jacket potato and beans per day. 

There is also no minimum spend required.

But customers will need to use the discrete phrase "ask for Henry" in order to receive it.

The offer ends on 14 July.

Nike plans to launch a cheaper trainer line in an effort to boost sales.

The sporting company's new range will be priced at around £79 or less and will be available in stores across the world, according to Reuters.

Nike has seen sales growth slow as it battles competition from Adidas, as well as the likes of On and Deckers' Hoka brand.

Last Thursday the company reported a sales decline in its latest quarter. 

Nike shares also slumped last Friday, ending the day down 19.98%, the biggest one-day percentage drop in the stock's history.

"This is likely a bid to secure some more price-sensitive consumers," GlobalData analyst Neil Saunders said.

Some NatWest customers with paid-for accounts have experienced a big change to their current account fees in the last few days.

The bank hiked the fee for its Reward Black account from £31 to £36 per month as of 28 June - an extra £60 per year.

Perks of the account include UK and European car breakdown cover, access to more than 1,000 airport lounges and worldwide family travel insurance.

For those with a Reward Platinum account, the fee has gone up to £22 from £20, equating to £24 extra throughout the year.

NatWest said increasing insurance costs were one of the drivers behind the fee increases, as well as the claim rate being reported by third-party providers.

It said it had previously frozen the cost of the accounts for five years.

People who hold silver or platinum club accounts with Lloyds are also experiencing a change to their fees from this week.

Club Lloyds Silver now costs £11.50 a month, up from £10 previously, while the platinum account has gone up from £21 to £22.50 a month.

Anyone looking to avoid the fee hike can downgrade their account to a free account or one with a lower payment. There's also the option to switch to another bank.

Basically… income tax is a levy on the annual earnings of a person or business.

It's the single most important source of revenue for the Treasury, accounting for about a quarter of total tax revenue.

The tax was first introduced by former prime minister William Pitt in 1799 to help pay for the Napoleonic wars.

It was abolished in 1816 but reinstated in 1842 – and has remained a part of the British tax system ever since.

What do I pay income tax on?

If you're employed, you'll pay tax on your annual income if you meet the earnings threshold (more on that later).

Self-employed people pay income tax on their profits, including from services sold through websites or apps.

Income tax can also be levied on other earnings including:

• Some state benefits
• Most pensions, including state pensions, company and personal pensions and retirement income
• Rental income, unless you're a live-in landlord
• Job benefits
• Income from a trust
• Interest on savings over your savings allowance

How much do I have to pay?

The amount of income tax you pay each year depends on how much of your earnings is above your personal tax allowance, and how much falls within each tax band.

Currently, the personal allowance sits at  £12,570  - that's the amount of income you  don't  have to pay tax on.

The threshold has been frozen since April 2022 and is set to remain at the current level until 2028 under plans announced by the Conservatives (Labour have not made any noises about changing this).

Combined with inflation, frozen tax thresholds can lead to something called "fiscal drag" - sometimes referred to as a "stealth tax" - when more people are dragged into paying tax for the first time or paying a higher level of tax.

We've more on that in a previous post from our Basically series...

Different tax bands determine what proportion of your income will be taken as tax each year (these are for England, Wales and Northern Ireland):

• Personal allowance  - if you earn  up to £12,570  you'll pay  no  income tax
• Basic rate  - you pay 20% tax on earnings between  £12,571 and £50,270
• Higher rate  - for earnings between  £50,271 and £125,140 , it's  40%
• Additional rate  - income of  £125,141 or more  attracts a  45%  tax rate

Scottish income tax bands differ slightly, with the addition of a starter rate, intermediate rate and top rate. Outside of the basic rate, the proportions also differ. You can read more about these on the Scottish government website  here .

How is the tax paid?

The majority of people will pay income tax through PAYE (Pay As You Earn) - the system employers and pension providers use to deduct income tax and national insurance contributions before wages hit bank accounts. This money goes directly to HMRC.

The amount paid is determined by a tax code - more on those in our explainer here...

If you're self-employed earning more than £1,000, or you're a very high earner, you'll likely have to pay tax through self-assessment which is done once a year.

Self-assessments are also needed if you earn over £2,500 from other untaxed income, such as tips or renting out a property.

What does the government spend income tax on?

As we mentioned previously, income tax is the biggest sources of revenue for the government, with the Office for Budget Responsibility predicting it'll raise a whopping  £302.7bn  in the 2024-25 tax year - up from £279.2bn the previous year.

It's not known exactly how the income tax portion of its revenue is spent, but overall, about two-thirds of the government's "day-to-day" spending goes on public services, such as the NHS, schools and prisons.

Around a quarter of all spending is on social security, such as Universal Credit and the state pension.

Read other entries in our Basically series...

We feature a lot of data on the changing prices of houses in the UK, but how do they compare to the rest of the world?

New data shows the UK ranked 37th for house price growth out of 56 countries analysed by Knight Frank for the Global House Price Index.

At 1.6% up over the year to the end of March, the UK underperformed (with the global average at 3.6%) but outstripped its European neighbours.

Only 11 countries saw prices fall, eight of which were European, with France (-5.2%) and Germany (-3.9%) feeling the effects of slower economic growth and high recent inflation.

Across all 56 markets, 82% saw annual price growth in the first quarter of the year - the strongest showing since the last quarter of 2022.

"Many markets are suffering from a lack of properties to sell as well as slow new-build delivery, leading to relatively healthy demand pushing prices to new highs," said Liam Bailey, Knight Frank's global head of research.

"In the longer term, however, only lower debt costs will sustain price growth."

With a 52% price increase, Turkey was at the top of the table by a huge margin - 36 percentage points - but there's more to this figure than meets the eye.

Consumer Price Index inflation in Turkey has risen 50% in the year to March, meaning in real terms house prices have actually fallen by 9.9%.

Recently we reported on how Barcelona had cracked down on tourism by planning to abolish short-term holiday lets . 

The Spanish city has now gone further in its war on overtourism by banning the display and sale of "offensive" souvenirs. 

It says sexist and homophobic messages on some souvenirs are tarnishing Barcelona's image. 

The ERC's deputy spokesperson Jordi Coronas said the ban included products such as "penises with the Barcelona brand, T-shirts with sexist or homophobic comments, or simply comments that, when displayed on these products, devalue Barcelona". 

Ahead of our Q&A, switching service Uswitch provided us with a list of what it considers the cheapest energy tariffs on the market right now.

It's worth reading the advice from Which? in our Q&A below (see 15.02 post) before deciding to switch from a standard variable tariff (that's what most households are on) - but if you're aware of the risks, then cheaper energy is available...

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