UK Passport Query

[DapaCruise]

I am an UK Passport Holder that renewed my passport on the 4th Jan 2016, with an extended expiry of 4th August 2026.

If my true passport validity is 10 years from issue, i.e. expires 4th July 2026, and I need 6 months on return, my cruise returns to Southampton 14th June 2025 ? We are cruising the Baltics , Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Germany and Norway which all state 3 months on return (why do Princess state 6 months ?)

 

Will I be ok with this passport or should I renew now ? The reason I don't want to renew now, is that I have a few trips booked and it's going to be tight finding a window for renwal. 

 

TIA

[Esprit]

3 minutes ago, DapaCruise said:

I am an UK Passport Holder that renewed my passport on the 4th Jan 2016, with an extended expiry of 4th August 2026.

If my true passport validity is 10 years from issue, i.e. expires 4th July 2026, and I need 6 months on return, my cruise returns to Southampton 14th June 2025 ? We are cruising the Baltics , Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Germany and Norway which all state 3 months on return (why do Princess state 6 months ?)

 

Will I be ok with this passport or should I renew now ? The reason I don't want to renew now, is that I have a few trips booked and it's going to be tight finding a window for renwal. 

 

TIA

We are U.K. passport holders too.

i recommend you visit Martin Lewis’s website. He has all the correct answers.

personally I’d renew via the fast track process. Costs a little more but then you have peace of mind and can go on all your other trips without interference.

[Rick&Jeannie]

It's generally *not* Princess that makes the 6 month requirement...it is the various countries that you visit which require this. Princess just "passes on" the requirement need. For them to try and administer cruises that do or don't have that need would be an administrative nightmare. 

[beg3yrs]

5 hours ago, DapaCruise said:

I am an UK Passport Holder that renewed my passport on the 4th Jan 2016, with an extended expiry of 4th August 2026.

If my true passport validity is 10 years from issue, i.e. expires 4th July 2026, and I need 6 months on return, my cruise returns to Southampton 14th June 2025 ? We are cruising the Baltics , Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Germany and Norway which all state 3 months on return (why do Princess state 6 months ?)

 

Will I be ok with this passport or should I renew now ? The reason I don't want to renew now, is that I have a few trips booked and it's going to be tight finding a window for renwal. 

 

TIA

You return to Southampton on the 14th of June 2025 so six months after that is the 14th of December of 2025. As long as your passport expires after the 14th of December 2025, you should be fine.

[Mara4166]

14 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

You return to Southampton on the 14th of June 2025 so six months after that is the 14th of December of 2025. As long as your passport expires after the 14th of December 2025, you should be fine.

Unfortunately this is not the case for some UK passports when travelling to Europe.  The UK used to add additional time onto your passport so if your old passport had 6 months left, your new passport had an expiry date of 10 years and 6 months away from start date.

 

Since Brexit, the EU has been strict in saying passport expires 10 years from issue and the “extra” time does not count.  It has been big news here the last few years when families are denied boarding at airports when it looks like their passports are okay, but they are not valid for the EU since the extra time does not count.

[beg3yrs]

15 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

You return to Southampton on the 14th of June 2025 so six months after that is the 14th of December of 2025. As long as your passport expires after the 14th of December 2025, you should be fine.

 

25 minutes ago, Mara4166 said:

Unfortunately this is not the case for some UK passports when travelling to Europe.  The UK used to add additional time onto your passport so if your old passport had 6 months left, your new passport had an expiry date of 10 years and 6 months away from start date.

 

Since Brexit, the EU has been strict in saying passport expires 10 years from issue and the “extra” time does not count.  It has been big news here the last few years when families are denied boarding at airports when it looks like their passports are okay, but they are not valid for the EU since the extra time does not count.

OP's passport without the "extension" has an original expiration date in January of 2026.

 

OP will be fine.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

15 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

You return to Southampton on the 14th of June 2025 so six months after that is the 14th of December of 2025. As long as your passport expires after the 14th of December 2025, you should be fine.

This is true.

 

but personally I’d still get a passport renewed before the trip.

 

my mum in law broke her foot on holiday and had to stay where she was for an extra 6 weeks as she wasn’t allowed to fly until then (wasn’t a simple break).

 

the OP only has a 3 week cushion if they can’t fly back from abroad. Yes that’s unlikely to happen but because I’ve been abroad with someone who ended up stuck I’m extra cautious.

 

yes I’m a worrier, but getting a passport a few months earlier than needed is, imo, worth it to avoid any potential issues. Just my thoughts on it

[beg3yrs]

2 hours ago, JG&Lcruisingnewbies said:

This is true.

 

but personally I’d still get a passport renewed before the trip.

 

my mum in law broke her foot on holiday and had to stay where she was for an extra 6 weeks as she wasn’t allowed to fly until then (wasn’t a simple break).

 

the OP only has a 3 week cushion if they can’t fly back from abroad. Yes that’s unlikely to happen but because I’ve been abroad with someone who ended up stuck I’m extra cautious.

 

yes I’m a worrier, but getting a passport a few months earlier than needed is, imo, worth it to avoid any potential issues. Just my thoughts on it

OP's passport is originally valid until the 4th of January of 2026. OP disembarks in Southampton in June of 2025 so getting home is not an issue.

 

The issue was entry into other countries and Princess possibly denying the initial embarkation. Even if OP gets injured during the trip and has to fly back to the UK within the six month window, it's OK as the six month rule is for entry into countries other than your own.

 

OP doesn't want to renew early as there are other trips scheduled as well. Makes perfect sense to me.