Your Passport’s Expiration Date Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

Front gates of Avignon

Almost exactly two weeks ago, I was at the Oakland Airport with my family, about to board a flight to Paris. We were all checked in.

I heard the Norwegian Air staff call my daughter’s name. Always the optimist, my first thought was that maybe they were going to upgrade her to first class (a weird random thought, but that’s what popped into my head). Unfortunately, there turned out to be an issue with her passport, which expired on October 5th.

I’d looked at her passport and checked the date, which was well after the return date of our two week vacation. We’d purchased round-trip tickets — there was no chance of any of us loitering in France and violating any immigration laws.

But the Norwegian Air staff informed us that unless we immediately changed our return date to July 4 or earlier, our daughter couldn’t board the plane. France, and all countries that are part of the Schengen agreement, require that a passport be valid at least six months upon entry and three months beyond the period of stay. In other words, even if we changed our return date, there was no guarantee she would be allowed to enter France upon arrival; we might immediately have to go home.

We quickly decided that I would board the flight to visit my dad and his wife in France, as originally planned. Kia and our daughter would apply for an expedited passport the next day and join us a couple days later.

It turns out getting your kid’s passport renewed with only one parent present is seriously difficult. I went to a notary in France and sent in the required form, but because of a small error on the form, our request was denied (with no way to correct it without starting the whole application process over with a different notary).

In the end the girls went to Disneyland, and I spent time with my family in the south of France. We made the best of it, but it was still a drag, and cost us a bunch in nonrefundable plane and train tickets, failed passport application fees, etc.

Maybe you already knew about the six-month passport rule. I didn’t (or if I did, I’d forgotten).

Maybe this post will save someone a huge hassle. Don’t wait on getting your damn passport renewed!