Travelling on ALMOST expired passport?

my USC Sister is coming to the UK on 9-March.  Her US passport expires on 21-Apr. 

I remember reading that you can't enter the UK when a passport is within (6) months of expiring. 

I can't find anything online.

Is my sister going to be okay?  Or should she renew her US passport b/f travelling?

She should definately renew her passport before travelling or they probably won't even let her on the plane.  I know a couple of people that has happened to.  I know there is info on this somewhere as I looked it up once for someone else a couple of years ago.  Will let you know if I find it again.

I would renew it, if I was her.

I had a look and couldn't find anything either.  She might want to call the airlines as they are the ones who check passports they will know all of the rules and regulations.

Yeah, for a visa, you need at least 6 months left on your passport.  So since technically the stamp is a visa, I would say that rule would also apply.  May be a good idea to renew her passport.  I don't think the wait times for renewal are all that long. My sister just renewed hers in the states and I think it took around 2 weeks.  

I don't mean to hijack Meggles' OP but..
Is the reverse true for the US?
DH's passport expires in May and we are planning to travel to the US in April.

ETA: Does the UK passport office retain cancelled UK passports or do they return them?
In a slight panic as DH has a visa that is good for another 2 years, depsite the passport expiring before then 

Also, it is MUCH less expensive to renew a current vs. an expired passport.

I don't mean to hijack Meggles' OP but..
Is the reverse true for the US?
DH's passport expires in May and we are planning to travel to the US in April.

ETA: Does the UK passport office retain cancelled UK passports or do they return them?
In a slight panic as DH has a visa that is good for another 2 years, depsite the passport expiring before then 

Passports, regardless of the type, must be valid for six months past the expected stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). This is a requirement for all categories of passports - regular, diplomatic, and official - when the traveler is seeking to enter the United States for business or tourist purposes, for a maximum of 90 days.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#mrprequirements

I think you're playing with fire trying to enter UK on a passport that expires in less than six months too since that means if anything happens, your passport will expire in-country.

My husband renewed his passport recently. It was invalidated and returned.

 

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#mrprequirements

I think you're playing with fire trying to enter UK on a passport that expires in less than six months too since that means if anything happens, your passport will expire in-country.

My husband renewed his passport recently. It was invalidated and returned.

Yes, BUT the UK is on the list of those exempt from this requirement.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/104770.pdf

My brothers wife who has a british passport tried to visit a friend in Texas and was not even allowed to book her baggage in as she only had 4 months left on her british passport, they advised her to get it renewed and come back.  Luckily she had a Irish passport that had a year left on it so the eventually allowed her to travel.

Yes, BUT the UK is on the list of those exempt from this requirement.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/104770.pdf

If this means that passports of the above-mentioned countries are automatically considered valid for up to 6 months past expiration, that seems to cover it as long as the passport doesn't expire during the visit.

Thanks, WebyJ.

If this means that passports of the above-mentioned countries are automatically considered valid for up to 6 months past expiration, that seems to cover it as long as the passport doesn't expire during the visit.

Thanks, WebyJ.

Thanks!
I see...the passport will expire after we return to the UK if DH does nothing.
But I wonder if that will cancel the validity of his US visa that will be in the soon-to-be cancelled UK passport.
The Visa is good until 2011, despite the passport itself expiring in 2009. And it allows him to enter the US at up to 6 months a pop, so we may be back to the drawing board.
I think I will encourage him to renew 

Disclaimer- this happened 2 years ago.

I had a WP in old passport.  It expired, and so I applied for a new one.  The old passport was returned to me, and I travelled extensively for 18 months with both passports (old with visa, and new that was valid).  Never had an issue.

It's expensive to get the visa transferred.  (although perhaps worth it if it's a ILR).

A nifty thing the UK does- if you apply for a new passport, and the old one is still valid, they will put X number extra months on the new one.  I don't think the US does this.

I had a WP in old passport.  It expired, and so I applied for a new one.  The old passport was returned to me, and I travelled extensively for 18 months with both passports (old with visa, and new that was valid).  Never had an issue.

This is what I do. My US passport with my entry clearance visa expired months ago and I renewed while in the UK. I have to travel with both passports.  Funny though, I had to bring my visa to the bank the other day for a loan and she looked at it and was like, oh that's an expired passport, I need your valid visa. So I had to show her both passports though and explain that I'm allowed to to do that.


I wonder though if the US would allow the same. I would think so if the visa is still valid, but the passport its in has expired.  Would be good to check with the USIC though. 

I wonder though if the US would allow the same. I would think so if the visa is still valid, but the passport its in has expired.  Would be good to check with the USIC though. 

I'm not sure the US would allow it because one time when I was returning to the States I had both old passport with IRL and new passport together with a rubber band and upon entering the States the IO asked why I was carrying my expired passport.  So when I explained it to him he raised his eyebrows and shook his head as if in disbelief that the UK allowed me to do that.

It's really best to check with the proper authorities and get it in writing if possible so that you  have proof just in case.