• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Passport warning — expiration date

aerialobserver

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances (Sept/Oct 2018)
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
So sorry to hear that. Gosh I hope you can work something out and preserve your walk.

Incidentally I had always thought the window of time was 6 months, in that the return journey had to be initialed while one still had six months remaining before their passport expiry date. I wonder if it differs between countries. In any case, yours is sure a cautionary tale and one that will likely cause many to go and look at the fine print on their passports.

Good luck, I wish you well.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal.
Your nationality is not stated but it is possible to renew a US passport in one day. Below is a link to one story but I've seen some others.

 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
I can see why you are crushed. You searched and searched for the right flight, and then poof! it didn't work out. I am glad the airline refunded your money without penalty.
Not sure where you live, but everything now says countries don't want your passport to expire less than 6 months from your time there. I suppose they fear some people will try to sneak in and stay on.
Renewing so early is a great nuisance and a bit of a ripoff since you wind up losing months from your current passport expiration date.
 
Your nationality is not stated but it is possible to renew a US passport in one day. Below is a link to one story but I've seen some others.

The day before my daughter and her husband were supposed to visit us in Portugal, she realized she couldn’t find her passport. I do not remember the details, since it was in 2004, but I know that she found some agency that walked it through for her and she picked it up on her way to Dulles. At that time, there were no available walk-in appointments because agencies reserved them all, but we were happy to pay the fee.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I'm just making a guess here but I was thinking about why a country would want you to have a passport valid for six months after entry. This is what I came up with for the case of having just enough time on the passport to handle a valid visit.

A person enters a Schengen country for three months, over stays, gets caught and is deported. The native country of the visitor doesn't take him back because he doesn't have a valid passport and sends him back to Europe where ...

So it appears to make things a lot easier for the visited country to require a longer validity to give them more time to catch overstayers.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
The day before my daughter and her husband were supposed to visit us in Portugal, she realized she couldn’t find her passport. I do not remember the details, since it was in 2004, but I know that she found some agency that walked it through for her and she picked it up on her way to Dulles. At that time, there were no available walk-in appointments because agencies reserved them all, but we were happy to pay the fee.
Thanks, I'll check out the services and see what I can find.
 
On the PP issue, anyone in Canada likely knows the current debacles with renewals. I began my renewal process in March, and don’t have my PP yet. 6 weeks after I applied I was able to use the web-based tracking application that promised 3-5 days return reply; I received the reply a week ago Monday. “Do not submit a second query,” says the site, “You might delay your initial query’s response.” So in June I *made an appointment* at my local PP office and the first date I could acquire was for Aug 19th in person to try to track down my PP.
Last week, following up on the very late response to my initial query, I was able to phone Gatineau, and they offered to transfer to my regional office. I agreed, but the promised transfer confirmation by day’s end had not arrived by the time I was to see someone in person [edit: scheduled for 4 days later than the promised email].
When I arrived to my appointment, the office door said: “Not accepting appointments for anyone travelling before Dec 1”. So I went to the ordinary office, to an antechamber for those travelling within 20 business days… And by the time I got to the person and a terminal I was told, “Your renewal was approved this morning, just in the last hour. Do you want to wait for Gatineau to send to you? Or do you want to transfer the completion to here?”
I chose the transfer and felt like Door #3 was going to reveal a goat…
But *after* I made my choice I was given a sort of promisory note that I could return to pick up the PP on Sept 2nd.
In other words: apply early, try to do it in person if you can; query as often as you can; take all “information” with a large scoop of salt.
In spite of wildly inconsistenot stories, you’ll still end up with a passport. (I was not the only one of the room who had applied as far back as March).
 
Last edited:
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
A person enters a Schengen country for three months, over stays, gets caught and is deported. The native country of the visitor doesn't take him back because he doesn't have a valid passport and sends him back to Europe where ...
Well, the person could go to their country's consulate and get an emergency passport if theirs has expired.
 
Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Now others will be, thanks to your posting this thread!
It is more than wise to get information on passport, visa, and immigration regulations long before you start making your plans.

There is hope for your camino yet, though - the process does not need to take forever. I applied for a new US passport in July through the USPS (expedited, because I had heard stories), and was shocked to get the new one in a bit over two weeks. I still haven't received the old one back, though - they send it separately.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
This is an extract from the Australian Govt Smartraveller site:

Passport validity​

Some countries won’t let you enter unless your passport is valid for six months after you plan to leave that country. Some airlines also impose this rule on their own initiative. It can apply even if you’re just transiting or stopping over. Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. You can receive conflicting advice from different sources. Getting it wrong can mean being stranded.
Note the advice here that the passport may have to be valid for six months from the time of your intended departure.

It is similar to the advice from the US Department of State.

In both places it is readily available on their respective websites as part of their advice on pre-travel requirements.
 
Last edited:
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Another thing to be careful about is whether or not you renewed your current passport early - some countries, including the UK, used to do this and "add on" the extra months.

So if you had a passport that expired on 25th December 2012 but decided to renew early on 25th June 2012 your new passport would show a date of issue of 25th June 2012 but a date of expiry of 25th December 2022 (so 10 years and 6 months)

It seems, from reports in British newspapers, that some travellers have been caught out by passport control saying that their passport is valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

"So, monsieur, your passport was issued on the 25th June 2012. Today is the 21st August 2022 - your passport is no longer valid"

"But the expiry date is 25th December!"

"Monsieur, your passport was issued on the 25th June 2012. Today is the 21st August 2022 - your passport is no longer valid . . . "
 
Last edited:
It seems, from reports in British newspapers, that some travellers have been caught out by passport control saying that their passport is valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

"So, monsieur, your passport was issued on the 25th June 2012. Today is the 21st August - your passport is no longer valid"

"But the expiry date is 25th December!"

"Monsieur, your passport was issued on the 25th June 2012. Today is the 21st August - your passport is no longer valid . . . "
Nice dialogue. Except ... I've mostly read that travellers from the UK were not caught out by passport control at the end of their flight but by their airport's ground staff at home before getting on the plane ... so it should read "Sir"? :cool:
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
I'm in the USA as well. I'm not sure where u are located but in my area you can got to the office in Detroit and get it renewed the same day
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Thanks for the heads up. Great info. Hope things work out for you. ✌️
 
For US travelers I use A Briggs for passports and visas.

It does cost a little bit more, but they have some great services like making sure your photo matches the requirements for face recognition, which are quite strict. They walk the passport through the expedited process and while they can’t control what happens inside the government, they can do a lot to make sure everything is easy to process before it gets there, and then get the passport back to you quickly.

I started using them because I had a lot of international travel that required visas, so much that I ended up with a second passport so that one could be in the visa process while I travel with the other one. I would’ve never made the tight timelines if I hadn’t had their help.
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Most countries are able to do 'expedited' passports within a few days — for a fee of course — but that might save complications with bookings.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Don't panic about the renewal time. I applied for a replacement UK passport and was quoted 10 weeks. I applied online on 4tg August. Posted my old passport that day. On Tuesdays 9th August they acknowledged receipt of passport. On Friday 19th they told me that it was approved and would be going to be printed soon. So I reckon it will be3 weeks overall from application to receipt.
 
I needed a quick US passport renewal and had it within 24 hours. Find your nearest passport office, book an appointment, fill out the application online, go get your new passport photo(most drugstores will take them, show up for your appointment and voila! New passport for an extra $60! Fortunately I only live 15 minutes from my local passport office in NH.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Don't panic about the renewal time. I applied for a replacement UK passport and was quoted 10 weeks. I applied online on 4tg August. Posted my old passport that day. On Tuesdays 9th August they acknowledged receipt of passport. On Friday 19th they told me that it was approved and would be going to be printed soon. So I reckon it will be3 weeks overall from application to receipt.
I see you can get a fast track appointment in the UK. Details are all online www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
I got my new USA passport in 5 weeks without the expedited process.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I can see why you are crushed. You searched and searched for the right flight, and then poof! it didn't work out. I am glad the airline refunded your money without penalty.
Not sure where you live, but everything now says countries don't want your passport to expire less than 6 months from your time there. I suppose they fear some people will try to sneak in and stay on.
Renewing so early is a great nuisance and a bit of a ripoff since you wind up losing months from your current passport expiration date.
Yes, I've learned that six months before expiration is a good rule of thumb, but three is adequate for Portugal. I guess the theme is that a US Passport expiration date is only good for reentering the US.
 
In Canada we are experiencing incredible lineups for passport renewals and new applications. However, a couple of weeks ago, they started canvassing the lineups outside the Passport offices for anyone who may be travelling very soon. Thise were pushed to the front of each day's line. So, not aware of your nationality, but knowing that many countries have been experiencing this same covid-created issue, might this tactic help in your timing for a 2022 Camino trip?
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
I misplaced my passport ( American) and I was able to do a renewal turnaround time of 3 days. I had to go to the city and apply in person but it worked and I was able to travel. Good luck, and I hope this helps you.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Another thing to trip you up is that passports need to be less than 10 years old. Some countries allow passports to be extended. However if the date of issue is more than 10 years then the EU classes them as invalid.
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Last year, I was in the same boat, though not for the Camino. I paid the expedited fee for passport renewal, took it to the post office, was notified of delivery, etc. and received back in plenty of time! The documentation I'd supplied with it came later. Covid canceled the trip, so it was a complete waste of dollars, but just saying.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
If your US passport is somehow lost or stolen you can go to the US Embassy in Madrid and apply for and receive a temporary passport valid for a year. You will receive it the same day or the next. Cost is the same as to renew your current passport but when you get home and apply for your new passport there will be no charge. One drawback to this plan: the temporary passport is valid in all countries in Europe but not France and Belgium.
 
Another thing to be careful about is whether or not you renewed your current passport early - some countries, including the UK, used to do this and "add on" the extra months.

So if you had a passport that expired on 25th December 2012 but decided to renew early on 25th June 2012 your new passport would show a date of issue of 25th June 2012 but a date of expiry of 25th December 2022 (so 10 years and 6 months)

It seems, from reports in British newspapers, that some travellers have been caught out by passport control saying that their passport is valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

"So, monsieur, your passport was issued on the 25th June 2012. Today is the 21st August 2022 - your passport is no longer valid"

"But the expiry date is 25th December!"

"Monsieur, your passport was issued on the 25th June 2012. Today is the 21st August 2022 - your passport is no longer valid . . . "
I was nearly caught out with this. I had extra months added on some years ago when I got married and changed my name on my passport. Thought I had plenty of time left on it. A chance conversation with a colleague alerted me to the fact that now one has to go by the issue date rather than the expiry date. It was a stressful few weeks waiting for my new passport to arrive so I could fly, but it finally arrived about a week and a half before my flight date!
 
2 days? I admire your positive attitude!
Actually I now have a real problem because I applied for my passport early and had the time I had left on my old passport added to this one. Perfectly legitimate and common 10 years ago in the UK. But it now makes my passport out of date for the EU.
I am due to fly on Sept 22nd so I will have to try the fast track service.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Actually I now have a real problem because I applied for my passport early and had the time I had left on my old passport added to this one. Perfectly legitimate and common 10 years ago in the UK. But it now makes my passport out of date for the EU.
I am due to fly on Sept 22nd so I will have to try the fast track service.
Panic over....I've another year 😅
Honestly this darn Covid brain-fog but it's a really good wake-up for me to renew my passport next Spring.
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
90 days at a minimum is needed. And if you are on the Camino and only 90 days are left on your passport, you might not be able to get back. Before getting into this bind, and if you already have a trip planned, go to the embassy to seek help.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
I live in Ottawa Canada. I applied for an Irish passport renewal on 25-Jul-2022 at the site dfa.ie/passportonline. The site is very user friendly. It guides you through the option of taking your own passport photo using a smart phone. The replacement passport was mailed out of Dublin on July 28th and arrived at my doorstep in Ottawa on Aug 10th. My passport had expired in 2020 and this service is available for passports expired in the last 15 years. Very impressive service.
 
In Australia, there have been reports of hundreds of complaints about Passport Office delays.

Apparenly, the Passport Office says six weeks but the current reality is double that and then some.

Passport Office Delays
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
It has been the recommendation for the past few years now that a passport must be in good condition and have an expiry date no less than 6 months before your returning home (that is to cover you in case you fall ill or worse yet land in jail). A good travel agent will make you aware of this before even proceeding with the booking.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
I have had several passports over the years and the last time I renewed mine, I had the choice of getting one valid for 5 or 10 years. Thank goodness I chose one for 10 years, so my latest expires in 2028.
 
I'm just making a guess here but I was thinking about why a country would want you to have a passport valid for six months after entry. This is what I came up with for the case of having just enough time on the passport to handle a valid visit.

A person enters a Schengen country for three months, over stays, gets caught and is deported. The native country of the visitor doesn't take him back because he doesn't have a valid passport and sends him back to Europe where ...

So it appears to make things a lot easier for the visited country to require a longer validity to give them more time to catch overstayers.
An overstay may also be the result of illness, accident or worse yet landing in jail
 
Yes, I've learned that six months before expiration is a good rule of thumb, but three is adequate for Portugal. I guess the theme is that a US Passport expiration date is only good for reentering the US.
Since 9/11, all this kind of thing is increasingly complicated. And often illogical.
I do know that when I had to renew my passport in February (6 months before expiration), the website said it most likely would take 3 months for me to get my new one. I remember thinking if had I known that, I would have sent in the renewal even earlier because I was hoping to do some other travel over the summer. As it turned out, I didn't travel--and the new passport came back in less than a month!😮
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
It has been the recommendation for the past few years now that a passport must be in good condition and have an expiry date no less than 6 months before your returning home
This is not a recommendation, but a requirement for entry into many countries. The length of time the passport needs to be valid for after your planned departure date varies. Your own country might recommend ensuring that your passport is valid, as mine does. If the country you are going to requires it, you can expect that they will won't budge.

But as the OP found out, the airlines will be checking, because they don't want to have you bring you home when you are refused entry. So they or your travel agent will be the ones enforcing the requirements here when you are booking your tickets.
 
But as the OP found out, the airlines will be checking, because they don't want to have you bring you home when you are refused entry. So they or your travel agent will be the ones enforcing the requirements here when you are booking your tickets.
Thank you Doug. What you wrote reminded me of an old post of mine. Here's a copy.

Countries fine airlines that send over visitors that the governments will not allow in and the airlines also have to send them back at their own cost. So the airlines use their International Air Transport Association to keep track of the entry requirements. IATA publishes the information as a book called Travel Information Manual (TIM) and they also have it computerized as Travel Information Manual Automatic (TIMATIC.)
TIMATIC can be accessed via the web url https://www.iatatravelcentre.com but the following site provides a somewhat easier interface (but likely not as good for general use): https://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=TIMATIC
See also:
http://www.iata.org/publications/timatic/Pages/tim_faq.aspx https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timatic
 
In Canada we are experiencing incredible lineups for passport renewals and new applications. However, a couple of weeks ago, they started canvassing the lineups outside the Passport offices for anyone who may be travelling very soon. Thise were pushed to the front of each day's line. So, not aware of your nationality, but knowing that many countries have been experiencing this same covid-created issue, might this tactic help in your timing for a 2022 Camino trip?
I think the same in Australia. I was at the Sydney passport office recently on another matter and the line to collect passports was out the door. Not sure what the processing time was but there certainly seemed to be a post Covid bottleneck.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Be sure and use an expedited SERVICE and not just expedite through the Government site. They can get the job done ASAP for not much extra $. Used to be that way anyway.
 
Probably time for a timely warning from a long retired travel and tourism lecturer.

If you plan your own travel, you also take on the responsibility of making sure everything is in order.

Travel can be simple and complex at the same time and to avoid traps, you must carefully do your research. Check and double check.

For the inexperienced, old fashioned travel agents can be a good idea provided such travel agents are regulated in your country. A good travel agent will have the knowledge and resources to plan and check everything for you before you depart. Again, do your research and try to find a travel agent that is recommended by someone you trust.

Booking everything online can have pitfalls. I recall reading about a couple of Australians that booked flights to Miami, Florida, as well as an expensive Caribbean cruise. They were refused permission to board their cruise in Miami because they omitted to secure necessary visas beforehand. They knew about getting visas for the USA but didn't look at the countries the cruise was going to. No refund. Ouch!

People are denied boarding at airports around the world everyday because their documents either don't comply or are non-existant. It is true - Airlines can be significantly penalised for carrying a non-compliant passenger into a country.

Please be super careful and research everything before doing anything.

I would also include travel insurance as a research target as well. No point booking everything only to discover you can't be insured because of some pre-existing medical condition. You'd have to be crazy to travel to some countries without travel insurance unless you have very deep pockets. Additionally, there are some activities that few if any insurance company will insure for such as the Tuk-tuks in Thailand or being overly inebriated after a menu del dia while in posession of the top bunk. :cool:

Never assume anything.

I think Katharina might agree with this. :)

Buen Camino hopefully!

Graham
 
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
How disappointing - I can say from experience that some countries require 6 months in advance of passport renewal. Good luck with your camino
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I have worked for a foreign embassy, and it was almost a daily occurance to have people calling or knocking at our door because they found out that their passport was not "valid enough" for the trip. Or even more common, that they would need a visa for some countries!

"But I never needed a visa to travel before!"
"Have you been to (Country X) before?"
"No."
"They require entry visas from all citizens from (nationality Z)".
"But Country Y doesn´t asks for it!"
"Yeah, but now you are going to Country X."
"So all countries are going to be different?"
"Yes, sir."

I can´t stress enough how important it is to make all travel checks. My basic list is:
- Passport expiry
- number of pages
- need for a visa depending on citizenship/destination
- health requirements
- travel insurance coverage requirements
- money declarations.

Thanks a lot for the OP for bringing this up, and I hope they still get to to the trip they planned :) Porto is an amazing place!
 
Another thing to be careful about is whether or not you renewed your current passport early - some countries, including the UK, used to do this and "add on" the extra months.
As @Jeff Crawley has pointed out there are numerous holders of British passports that have a validity of more than 10 years because in the UK it was possible to add up to 9 months to the 10 year validity if you had your passport renewed months before it expired. You could transfer the 'unused' months from your old passport to your new passport.

Passports that are older than 10 years are not "valid travel documents" under EU law, i.e. under the law for entry of non-EU nationals into EU countries. Numerous British holidaymakers discovered this year that such was the case for them, sometimes as late as when they were already at the gate and the airport staff checked their passports. And, be aware, they lack compassion! 😑

As reported by a traveller who, at Cornwall Airport Newquay on Saturday, July 23, 2022, was not allowed to board with her husband and her children for a flight from England to Portugal:

"The time had come to board the plane. [My husband and my sons] were in front of me, but when a member of the ground staff checked my passport she told me it’s out of date. I replied, ‘sorry I think you are mistaken it’s valid until April 2023’. ‘No it’s not’. The ten years run from the issue date, in my case July 8, 2012.
"I was then abruptly informed that [...] I would not be able to travel. I was marched back through the busy departure gate in front of everyone while my family were still waiting to board the plane."
She also said that staff at the airport showed no compassion: "There was no being taken into a side room and told, 'we'll get your baggage for you' or 'we'll call Portugal for you and do whatever we can' - it can be a discretionary decision by the destination country.
"No discretion was made, no suggested calls were made to immigration in Portugal, no help with rearranging flights, car hire, getting home, etc, and absolutely no compassion. I would hate anyone else to go through what we have just experienced."
 
As @Jeff Crawley has pointed out there are numerous holders of British passports that have a validity of more than 10 years because in the UK it was possible to add up to 9 months to the 10 year validity if you had your passport renewed months before it expired. You could transfer the 'unused' months from your old passport to your new passport.

Passports that are older than 10 years are not "valid travel documents" under EU law, i.e. under the law for entry of non-EU nationals into EU countries. Numerous British holidaymakers discovered this year that such was the case for them, sometimes as late as when they were already at the gate and the airport staff checked their passports. And, be aware, they lack compassion! 😑

As reported by a traveller who, at Cornwall Airport Newquay on Saturday, July 23, 2022, was not allowed to board with her husband and her children for a flight from England to Portugal:

"The time had come to board the plane. [My husband and my sons] were in front of me, but when a member of the ground staff checked my passport she told me it’s out of date. I replied, ‘sorry I think you are mistaken it’s valid until April 2023’. ‘No it’s not’. The ten years run from the issue date, in my case July 8, 2012.
"I was then abruptly informed that [...] I would not be able to travel. I was marched back through the busy departure gate in front of everyone while my family were still waiting to board the plane."
She also said that staff at the airport showed no compassion: "There was no being taken into a side room and told, 'we'll get your baggage for you' or 'we'll call Portugal for you and do whatever we can' - it can be a discretionary decision by the destination country.
"No discretion was made, no suggested calls were made to immigration in Portugal, no help with rearranging flights, car hire, getting home, etc, and absolutely no compassion. I would hate anyone else to go through what we have just experienced."
I am very grateful for this thread as I might well have come unstuck due to this. (Even allowing for getting the year correct). My passport is supposedly valid until Feb 24. However now it's only valid until Aug 23. Allowing for the 3 months before that plus the time it will take for a normal renewal I will need to renew mine a year before the validity date at the latest!
I do hope the OP manages to get to Porto as it truly is a wonderful place and both routes are worth all the effort to get there.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
I have worked for a foreign embassy, and it was almost a daily occurance to have people calling or knocking at our door because they found out that their passport was not "valid enough" for the trip. Or even more common, that they would need a visa for some countries!

"But I never needed a visa to travel before!"
"Have you been to (Country X) before?"
"No."
"They require entry visas from all citizens from (nationality Z)".
"But Country Y doesn´t asks for it!"
"Yeah, but now you are going to Country X."
"So all countries are going to be different?"
"Yes, sir."

I can´t stress enough how important it is to make all travel checks. My basic list is:
- Passport expiry
- number of pages
- need for a visa depending on citizenship/destination
- health requirements
- travel insurance coverage requirements
- money declarations.

Thanks a lot for the OP for bringing this up, and I hope they still get to to the trip they planned :) Porto is an amazing place!
Despite a lifetime spent in travel, I have fallen foul of the ‘numbers of pages’ rule a couple of times! First time was in Joburg in 2003 just after South Africa had introduced a rule that you needed two blank pages opposite each other on your passport for it to be valid! I didn’t!! Clearly the staff at my departure airport didn’t know the new rule either as I and others were allowed to board! After initially being refused entry I was allowed in. Similarly in Indonesia a few years later when I didn’t have any blank pages and they needed a full one. It was only a day trip from Singapore that I only planned the night before and I hadn’t down my homework!

This sort of rule is only specific to a few countries and they change a lot! !
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I can´t stress enough how important it is to make all travel checks. My basic list is:
- Passport expiry
- number of pages
- need for a visa depending on citizenship/destination
I added emphasis for that last one. Find out the current rules. Don't rely on old webpages. Sometime around 1988 France had some problems with terrorism and for a period had requirements for visas for nationalities that it used to admit visa free.
 
As @Jeff Crawley has pointed out there are numerous holders of British passports that have a validity of more than 10 years because in the UK it was possible to add up to 9 months to the 10 year validity if you had your passport renewed months before it expired. You could transfer the 'unused' months from your old passport to your new passport.

Passports that are older than 10 years are not "valid travel documents" under EU law, i.e. under the law for entry of non-EU nationals into EU countries. Numerous British holidaymakers discovered this year that such was the case for them, sometimes as late as when they were already at the gate and the airport staff checked their passports. And, be aware, they lack compassion! 😑

As reported by a traveller who, at Cornwall Airport Newquay on Saturday, July 23, 2022, was not allowed to board with her husband and her children for a flight from England to Portugal:

"The time had come to board the plane. [My husband and my sons] were in front of me, but when a member of the ground staff checked my passport she told me it’s out of date. I replied, ‘sorry I think you are mistaken it’s valid until April 2023’. ‘No it’s not’. The ten years run from the issue date, in my case July 8, 2012.
"I was then abruptly informed that [...] I would not be able to travel. I was marched back through the busy departure gate in front of everyone while my family were still waiting to board the plane."
She also said that staff at the airport showed no compassion: "There was no being taken into a side room and told, 'we'll get your baggage for you' or 'we'll call Portugal for you and do whatever we can' - it can be a discretionary decision by the destination country.
"No discretion was made, no suggested calls were made to immigration in Portugal, no help with rearranging flights, car hire, getting home, etc, and absolutely no compassion. I would hate anyone else to go through what we have just experienced."
A sorry story but the law is the law is the law. :-(
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
So sorry that you face this frustrating situation. Thank goodness you were alerted to the issue early, rather than being denied when trying to check in for your flight! I know people who learned this lesson the hard way.

If the flight you desired is still available, perhaps it is worth a shot to try booking without entering your passport information?

While it’s possible that airlines, etc have changed rules over the past couple of years, my understanding (for Americans) is that passport info is not necessary until pre-flight check-in. Hopefully that would allow ample time for your new passport to arrive – especially if you expedite the process – while still being able to lock in travel arrangements now? Perhaps booking over the phone rather than online would also be a possibility, explaining your situation to a flight representative.

If it’s any help, here is a 2018 USA Today article on the topic. Many people seem to land in this unhappy situation. You’re not alone. Hopefully the info is not outdated! It may be worth a try anyway. Best wishes and buen Camino.

“Can I Order a Flight Ticket While My Passport Is in the Post?”
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and sympathy. Based on Sunday's research and this morning's action, I discovered that walking my renewal application into my state's only passport office is not possible for me. According to the US State Dept's "help" line, they make appointments only for people who can document that their departure will take place within the next two weeks. I'm unwilling to live with the uncertainty of waiting that long with flight reservations. According to the passport helper on the phone, private companies that seem to promise faster service are in no way affiliated with the US State Department. In my view, their main role may be knowing the passport requirements and hand-holding for a fee. Rather, I completed the renewal documents, paid for expedited processing and shipping and will hope the renewed passport gets back quicker than at least the maximum 5-7 week turnaround they say to expect. Since I surrendered my current passport, I can't go to Mexico or Canada either. I'll either 1.) Book a flight last minute with my new passport in hand; 2) Pay considerably more for advance reservations with the option to cancel for a refund; or 3) Wait until next spring, sadder but wiser. Again, thanks for all the info and support.
 
I got my new passport in only a few weeks this last winter and I didn't even pay to have it expedited. Fewer people were traveling due to Covid so that could have been a factor.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Yes, I've done the UK one. It takes 4 hours. You show up for your appointment, hand in the forms and photos and then go away and come back at the appointed time to collect it.
There have been horror stories of people waiting upto 10 weeks for a new UK passport. I applied online on 4th August and the new passport will be delivered today. I think the press got carried away when perhaps 1 individual had to wait 10 weeks because of either errors or special circumstances. Mine has taken less than 3 weeks dfor the whole process. No need to waste a day travelling to a passport office.
 
A sorry story but the law is the law is the law. :-(
As they said already two thousand years ago, to quote Wikipedia: ignorantia juris non excusat (literally: "ignorance of the law excuses not"). And besides, it's not a new requirement: Since 2013, non-EU passports must not be older than ten years on the day of entry and must be valid for at least three months on the day when the traveller intends to leave again. Before 2013, non-EU nationals merely had to be in possession of a valid travel document authorising them to cross the border.

BTW, British passports with a validity of more than 10 years will eventually be a thing of the past. Since September 2018 or so, it is no longer possible to transfer a "credit" from the old passport to the new one.

The real hurdle in such cases - a Camino pilgrim or a family on their summer holiday trip - is the ground staff at the departure airport; they may indeed show no compassion and they certainly will not "ring immigration in Portugal" to solve the issue. Border control officers do show compassion sometimes. I know because a few years ago an officer of HMG let me cross the virtual border at a Eurostar station and board the train although I presented a travel document that had expired. Maybe it helped that I pointed this out to him before he noticed and I had tears in my eyes, too. Real ones, not faked ones; it was a family emergency situation and not a leisure trip. 😇

Useful thread, btw. I have just checked the validity of my passport and my two ID cards. Still good for a couple of years. Maybe I should put a reminder for their renewal in my digital calendars?
 
Last edited:
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
As they said already two thousand years ago, to quote Wikipedia: ignorantia juris non excusat (literally: "ignorance of the law excuses not"). And besides, it's not a new requirement: Since 2013, non-EU passports must not be older than ten years on the day of entry and must be valid for at least three months on the day when the traveller intends to leave again. Before 2013, non-EU nationals merely had to be in possession of a valid travel document authorising them to cross the border.

BTW, British passports with a validity of more than 10 years will eventually be a thing of the past. Since September 2018 or so, it is no longer possible to transfer a "credit" from the old passport to the new one.

The real hurdle in such cases - a Camino pilgrim or a family on their summer holiday trip - is the ground staff at the departure airport; they may indeed show no compassion and they certainly will not "ring immigration in Portugal" to solve the issue. Border control officers do show compassion sometimes. I know because a few years ago an officer of HMG let me cross the virtual border at a Eurostar station and board the train although I presented a travel document that had expired. Maybe it helped that I pointed this out to him before he noticed and I had tears in my eyes, too. Real ones, not faked ones; it was a family emergency situation and not a leisure trip. 😇

Useful thread, btw. I have just checked the validity of my passport and my two ID cards. Still good for a couple of years. Maybe I should put a reminder for their renewal in my digital calendars?
"Maybe I should put a reminder for their renewal in my digital calendars?"

A very good idea, I have to renew the address associated with my amateur radio licence every five years and that's already listed (together with an automatic "repeats: every five years" tag) and a lot of people, certainly in the UK, did not realise there was an expiry date on their driving licence (apart from the "renew at 70" feature).
 
South Africa had introduced a rule that you needed two blank pages opposite each other on your passport for it to be valid! I didn’t!!
This is not something that many of us think about. If you travel a lot and think you will run out of blank pages, it's far better to be safe than sorry.
Edit - This site has a list of passport pages needed (it's NOT official government site, so do double check); don't try to go to Brunei or Namibia if you're running low on space - they require 6 blank pages!!
Some EU countries (France and Spain included) need one page, others (Belgium and Holland, for example) require two. Clearly, we need to pay attention!
Here's a cute trick to maximize space in your passport that I discovered while looking for more information about this:

Maybe I should put a reminder for their renewal in my digital calendars?
Oh! Excellent idea! 🙏 🙏 🙏
We all should.
 
Last edited:
I'm just making a guess here but I was thinking about why a country would want you to have a passport valid for six months after entry.
It's of doubtful legality, problem being that it involves International Law, and for a private individual to seek recourse against a Nation State at the International Court is an unlikely prospect.

But the actual problem causing this is that some countries have entered into a habit of issuing passports with a validity exceeding 10 years from the date of issue, which BTW also is of dubious legality, given that the international norm is 1, 5, or 10 years for such documents.

There are more bizarre passports law things, but quite off topic as to the query at hand.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
and a lot of people, certainly in the UK, did not realise there was an expiry date on their driving licence (apart from the "renew at 70" feature).
What????
Just looked at my driving license and it's valid until the day before I'm 70. It is still a, very fragile, paper license. Last renewed when I moved to this house in 1984 😅
 
What????
Just looked at my driving license and it's valid until the day before I'm 70. It is still a, very fragile, paper license. Last renewed when I moved to this house in 1984 😅
Yes, the old paper ones last forever, as long as you don't move house!
I think that's why people didn't know the photo ones do expire.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
This is not something that many of us think about. If you travel a lot and think you will run out of blank pages, it's far better to be safe than sorry.
Edit - This site has a list of passport pages needed (it's NOT official government site, so do double check); don't try to go to Brunei or Namibia if you're running low on space - they require 6 blank pages!!
Some EU countries (France and Spain included) need one page, others (Belgium and Holland, for example) require two. Clearly, we need to pay attention!
Here's a cute trick to maximize space in your passport that I discovered while looking for more information about this:


Oh! Excellent idea! 🙏 🙏 🙏
We all should.
Thank you! Yes I was quite shocked whe I was refused entry to ZA! For UK folks with UK passports now being stamped in EU countries, passports will
will up a lot quicker!
 
Hi,
Just for clarification, I have one of these uk passports with 10 years 3 months issued Feb 2018 with an expiry may 2028.

Am I right in thinking that it's still valid?
And use the 10 year rule from the issue date thereby expiring Feb 2028.

Or have I misinterpreted it! And messed up big time.

Cheers.

Mark
 
Hi,
Just for clarification, I have one of these uk passports with 10 years 3 months issued Feb 2018 with an expiry may 2028.

Am I right in thinking that it's still valid?
And use the 10 year rule from the issue date thereby expiring Feb 2028.

Or have I misinterpreted it! And messed up big time.

Cheers.

Mark
Yes it will expire Feb 28 but you can only use it until 3 months prior to Feb 28 to travel to the EU by current rules.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
So sorry to hear that. Gosh I hope you can work something out and preserve your walk.

Incidentally I had always thought the window of time was 6 months, in that the return journey had to be initialed while one still had six months remaining before their passport expiry date. I wonder if it differs between countries. In any case, yours is sure a cautionary tale and one that will likely cause many to go and look at the fine print on their passports.

Good luck, I wish you well.
many countries indeed require 6 months. I had to renew my passport in haste after finding out that it was 4 days short of 6 months before going to Costa Rica some years ago... better to check!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
While the time frame varies from country to country, ‘many European countries — 26 in all — are signers of the Schengen Agreement and as a result follow the 3+3 Rule, meaning your passport must be valid for three months beyond your three-month entry visa, or for a total of six months regardless of how long your initial stay is. Note that while some Schengen countries only require passports to be valid for three months beyond your intended stay, others assume you may stay the full 90 days of your visa validity and thus the six-month time period.’
 
I'm just making a guess here but I was thinking about why a country would want you to have a passport valid for six months after entry. This is what I came up with for the case of having just enough time on the passport to handle a valid visit.
Are there really any countries that won't allow their own citizens to enter just because the proof of their citizenship is "expired"? USA might give me a big hassle, but they have to let me in.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I'm crushed! Spent the day searching for flights to Porto and pulled out my credit card and paid. Only afterward did passport info show on the booking site informing me that mine, which expires on 30 December 2022 would not allow me into Portugal because the expiration date was less than 90 days from my return flight. Even with extra fees for "expedited" processing, 5-7 weeks is the stated processing time for a passport renewal. I had assumed that an expiration two months after my return would do fine until the rude awakening. The airline is cancelling my reservation and returning payment since I booked less than an hour before and I will go ahead with a passport application, but whether I can start my Camino as planned is seriously doubtful. Few people will be caught in this bind, but it's something I wish I had been aware of!
Where do you live in the US? Most likely You can get a same day appointment.
 
Every business and industry has seen a loss of employees due to covid and the growing number of retiring Baby Boomers, so we really shouldn’t be surprised that passport renewals are sluggish, just like getting through airports is slower.

It is not the job of airport and airline staff or even consular staff to fix our travel errors, and there are so many of us travelling that compassion likely gets used up pretty fast.

That said, I’m off to check the expiry dates on my passport AND my debit/credit cards.
 
Your nationality is not stated but it is possible to renew a US passport in one day. Below is a link to one story but I've seen some others.

I did this 30 years ago and it worked. It’s expensive but You’ll have to figure out what is more important, the expense or being able to do the trip.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Just a heads up: I saw on Facebook where someone whose passport was only two months from expiring was denied boarding at the airport. Be sure you've got at minimum six months left on your current passport before setting off. It's easy to overlook it when you know it's valid today.
 
This is not a new phenomenon-- I have known three would-be pilgrims caught out by this. Airline websites normally advise people of t his, and for those of us who have worked with travel agents, this has long been known. One friend notes that this sometimes happens to those who rarely (if ever) travel outside their countries and whose mindset is not passport-oriented.
 
This is not a new phenomenon-- I have known three would-be pilgrims caught out by this. Airline websites normally advise people of t his, and for those of us who have worked with travel agents, this has long been known. One friend notes that this sometimes happens to those who rarely (if ever) travel outside their countries and whose mindset is not passport-oriented.
According to the US gov't site it's this:
PASSPORT VALIDITY:
6 months recommended, 3 months beyond your date of departure is required.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Just a heads up: I saw on Facebook where someone whose passport was only two months from expiring was denied boarding at the airport. Be sure you've got at minimum six months left on your current passport before setting off. It's easy to overlook it when you know it's valid today.
I didn't realize this and the customs guy at Lisbon pointed out I only within a week of being denied entry. Nothing was said at Madrid where I transferred.
 
I didn't realize this and the customs guy at Lisbon pointed out I only within a week of being denied entry. Nothing was said at Madrid where I transferred.
Nothing would be said at Madrid because you entered the Schengen zone at Lisbon. Madrid was simply an identity check. Glad you squeaked in!
 

Most read last week in this forum

hola, I have been trying to book a train from Madrid to Sarria to meet with friends on the Camino. The process works until the payment page. It asks for an email address and a phone number...
I trying to purchase my one way ticket from Santiago de Compostela to Porto.I cannot find any info on bringing my luggage with me( a small carry on and a knapsack) anyone taken this bus? Can I...
Last year made the mistake of travelling after the 500k walk to Porto and Barcelona and Cadaqués then the UK.(All amazing) but I was too tired to make the most of it. So this year I’m lucky...
Beginning March 1, my husband and I walked from Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Astorga on the CF. Prior to our trip, I had contracted with Jacotrans to move our bags for 21 straight days...
Trying to determine best way from Madrid airport to Leon? Thank you
Just saw a press release from Correos announcing that they will be offering a left luggage service at all of their 2,000+ offices throughout Spain. For up to 15 days at a time...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top