Passport Validity Checker
Can you travel on your passport? Check the 6-month rule, Schengen's 3-month and 10-year rules, and a specific trip — and when to renew.
Needed for Schengen's 10-year rule — or instead of the expiry date with the validity below.
Check a specific trip (optional)
Not sure? Check the destination's embassy or official travel advice — rules change, and airlines can refuse boarding if they're not met.
🔒 Works in your browser — what you enter isn't sent to us unless you ask for an email reminder.
Why "not expired" isn't enough
Many countries won't let you in — and airlines won't let you board — unless your passport is valid for some time after your trip:
- The 6-month rule. Many countries want at least six months' validity left when you arrive, or when you leave.
- The Schengen area wants your passport valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave, and issued within the last 10 years. An old passport with an extended expiry date can fail the second rule even though it hasn't expired.
- Some countries only need it valid for the length of your stay.
Rules change and can differ by nationality, so always confirm with the destination's embassy or official travel advice before you book.
How to use it
Enter your passport's expiry date to see the last day you can arrive somewhere with a 6-month rule and the last day you can leave the Schengen area. Add the issue date to check the 10-year rule, open Check a specific trip for a yes/no answer on your dates, and add how long renewal takes where you live to get the date to apply by.
When to renew
Most travellers renew about 9 months before expiry: that keeps 6 months' validity for travel and leaves time for processing. The calendar file from this page alerts you at 9 and 6 months.