Passport Expires in Less than 6 Months

BluebirdV on 19/03/2024 - 20:16

My Australian passport will be expiring in less than 6 months shortly. I was wondering if it is likely that I will be able to board a plane back to Australia from the Philippines?

I asked the online chat on Cebu Pacific airlines but I only got an auto generated response about passports needing 6 months validity. I read that it's possible to go to Canada or the UK and back on a passport with less than 6 months validity. However other countries supposedly don't allow it.

Does anyone know how strict they are about enforcing this rule? I understand why they would prevent people leaving Australia with less than 6 months left on their passport. But is there any good reason they would stop someone returning home on a passport that is about to expire?

Travel Passport

Comments

          • hasher22 on 21/03/2024 - 22:31

            @jackspratt: It is relevant

            People have long lay overs and people will arrive in their home country on or just after the expiry date. It's up to Australian airport security to let them in and make a possible exception if it's on or 1 day after the expiry date.

            And yes, before you say anything about the 'on' date, I've read on scenarios that security will either mark the passport as expired from 12:01 am on that date and others will say it expires on 11:59pm.

  • Kranbone on 20/03/2024 - 20:56

    Not something I'd be keen to risk. Just renew beforehand.

  • chadave2020 on 20/03/2024 - 22:05

    CebuPacific is not a really good airline to deal with. I wouldn’t take the risk

  • anthony t on 21/03/2024 - 00:38

    @ProlapsedHeinous et al. Passports are expensive for id only use. Get an Australia Card instead. On the coming home issue? Just wing it.

  • KaTst3R on 21/03/2024 - 09:28

    Entering your own country is not the problem.

    Exiting your country to a foreign country is the problem.

    As long as your passport has more than 6 months upon exiting Australia into Philippines, and still valid when returning, you are good.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 21/03/2024 - 10:09

    Easy solution. No passport required. Just catch a lift on one of the many boats the Libs are fearmongering everyone about.

    • freekay on 21/03/2024 - 10:36
      -2

      Found 'em! Found the person who has to make everything political!

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 21/03/2024 - 12:19
        +1

        Passports and immigration law are political already.

  • megaclix on 21/03/2024 - 12:13

    Is it worth spending more on a flexible ticket. So if the airline refuses boarding, you can re-book for a later date when you have your new passport.

  • rlf on 21/03/2024 - 13:04

    What's wrong with you? You hold an Australian passport, of course you can come back to Australia.

  • trapper on 21/03/2024 - 15:33

    For a direct flight home there should be no issue, as long as the passport hasn't actually expired.

    Also note if your passport does expire then so does any visa you had, which can be a serious problem depending on the country.

  • Randolph Duke on 21/03/2024 - 16:25

    People saying entry won’t be a problem are correct…. if the airline lets you on the plane with less than 6 months expiry. I wouldn’t assume that’s guaranteed, particularly with a connecting flight in somewhere not Australia

    • trapper on 21/03/2024 - 17:33

      To fly you directly to your home country the airline won't require 6 months on the passport.

  • altomic on 21/03/2024 - 18:32

    just spoke to Joshua @ Jetstar.

    my question was - "I understand the requirements of an Australian travelling to another country on Australian passport - and that country's entry requirements. but an Australian citizen returning to Australia with an expired passport, that's my question. as Australian immigration isn't going to refuse entry to an Australian passport holder (even if the passport is expired). but would Jetstar allow that person on the plane to return to Australia?"

    his response -"Passenger need to provide or present a valid identification/passport when they check-in and unfortunately, Jetstar do not accept photocopies or expired ID’s."

  • darktiger on 21/03/2024 - 18:58

    My brother was denied boarding to Bali with an Australian passport with less than 6 months validity despite return ticket/date being before passport expiry. Applied for an emergency passport and was put on to a flight the next day.

    • hasher22 on 21/03/2024 - 22:35

      General rule is that you can't depart with less than 6 months of expiry, even if the ticket says other wise. Treat your passport X years and 6 months not the full X years.

      Who knows, your brother could have stayed and cancelled his return ticket.

    • CGradeCyclist on 22/03/2024 - 12:57
      +3

      The issue there was Indonesia, not Australia. Indonesia are super-strict on the 6-months validity, Australia doesn't care.

      And just to add - in most cases (there are rare exceptions), an Australian trying to board a DIRECT flight to Australia, but holding an expired Aussie passport, will probably be allowed to fly. There are established procedures for airlines to follow (including contacting Aus Border Force) to get permission to uplift an Aussie citizen. But note the emphasis on the DIRECT flight - if you're going through a third country the game changes somewhat…

  • paul11 on 21/03/2024 - 20:57
    +1

    There is not much of an issue returning.

    The main issue is departing. There are many countries that don't let people enter unless they have 6 months validity left on their passport.

    Your first challenge is to get a boarding pass. Check with Philippines immigration if they will let you in with a passport with less than 6 months of validity.

    • jackspratt on 21/03/2024 - 21:51

      The OP has stated several times that he is already in the Philippines.

  • derrko on 23/03/2024 - 10:02

    What if you had an Australian passport due to expire and another passport from a different country, surely i could travel on that one out of the country instead?

    • lplau on 25/03/2024 - 09:14

      But there is a caveat with travelling with another passport from another country.
      You are "deemed" a citizen of the passport country that you entered into, so if you get in any trouble, you won't get assistance from Australia.

  • lplau on 25/03/2024 - 09:19

    It's always been a rule that you got to have 6 months validity from the travel date as far as I know.
    Travel agencies have been pushing this for ages.

    I'm guessing it could be due to many reasons, such as:
    1. Unexpected delays might mean you can't get back home. e.g. there is no direct flight from where you are back to Australia and need to transit.
    2. "standard visa" into some countries may be 3-6months long, and they don't like having a valid visa but expired passport

    Just think of renewing your passport as a "peace of mind" like buying insurance…..Not sure why you'd skimp on $17.30 (half year of passport) to risk getting stranded, delayed and hastle of applying for an emergency passport.

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