Traveling on a passport that expires five months after retur

amother

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 4:50 pm

I see that officially Israel requires your passport to be valid SIX months after your return flight. Does anyone know if they really enforce that? Flying el al if that makes a difference and passport expires five months after return flight.
TIA

amother

Leaf

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 4:51 pm

If you’re leaving within a couple of weeks you might be able to get an appointment for an expedited passport

amother

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:02 pm

amother Leaf wrote:

If you’re leaving within a couple of weeks you might be able to get an appointment for an expedited passport

My question is whether I really NEED to renew at this point (for a passport that expires five months AFTER my return flight) altogether.

Thanks!

amother

Marigold

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:04 pm

amother OP wrote:

My question is whether I really NEED to renew at this point (for a passport that expires five months AFTER my return flight) altogether.

Thanks!

I just had this in the summer but not with Israel with a different country. I had to get an expedited passport the week before I left. It was crazy...

DrMom

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:09 pm

amother OP wrote:

My question is whether I really NEED to renew at this point (for a passport that expires five months AFTER my return flight) altogether.

Thanks!

Only if not be allowed to board your flight is a possibility you can live with.

Personally, I wouldn't want to take that chance.

Bnei Berak 10

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:13 pm

Depends which country you fly to.
Are you a citizen of that country?
Ask Dr Mom says, it's not worth the chance.

Bnei Berak 10

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:22 pm

amother OP wrote:

Doesn't make a difference which airline you use.
The passport rules are issued by the countries, not the airlines. Logically airlines have to comply with the rules too.

amother

Birch

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:25 pm

You will be at the mercy of the agent. No way to know for sure how it will turn out

amother

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:35 pm

Okay, does anyone here know someone personally who was denied boarding an el al flight from the US to Tel Aviv or back because their passport expired 3-6 months after their flight?
Thanks!

amother

Birch

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:38 pm

Yes my brother was denied boarding. I belive the requirement is 6 months from when you leave US, nothing to do with your return flight if that makes a difference to your situation.

amother

Chicory

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 5:46 pm

amother OP wrote:

Okay, does anyone here know someone personally who was denied boarding an el al flight from the US to Tel Aviv or back because their passport expired 3-6 months after their flight?
Thanks!

Yes, this happened to one of my parents

amother

Ultramarine

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:12 pm

I was let through since I had a return ticket the next week
I think it was Swiss air

Do they always check?

amother

Chartreuse

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:13 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes, they strictly enforce it.
We made an overnight passport afew days before traveling.

amother

Chartreuse

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:14 pm

amother OP wrote:

My question is whether I really NEED to renew at this point (for a passport that expires five months AFTER my return flight) altogether.

Thanks!

Yes, you need to. This isn't a chance to take.
My sister & BIL recently had to cancel a trip the day of, because of this.

amother

DarkKhaki

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:44 pm

I wouldn’t chance it. You might get an agent who will let you through but what if you don’t.
I was in a similar situation once and they decided to be nice to me. I was traveling with kids and the agent saw he’d be causing a disaster by not letting me through. I’m grateful he had a heart and didn’t stop me. He definitely could have.

amother

Mistyrose

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:48 pm

amother OP wrote:

Okay, does anyone here know someone personally who was denied boarding an el al flight from the US to Tel Aviv or back because their passport expired 3-6 months after their flight?
Thanks!

Yes my friend was. She went back home and canceled her trip.

amother

Ruby

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:49 pm

We were living in Israel, flew out of Israel to America on an American passport when DS's passport still had six months on it, but when it came time to fly back to Israel he only had five months. The Turkish Airlines agent didn't want to let him through but we argued with him that DS was born in Israel and his American passport was initially issued in Israel so it's as if he's flying back to his home country (or something to that affect, it was awhile ago.) he called a superior in Turkey and eventually let us through BH.

amother

Tulip

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 6:54 pm

I never heard of this until now.
In November 2023 we flew to isreal. My husband’s passport just expired in March 2024.
I guess we got lucky.
I was pregnant and traveling with children so it could be the agent had mercy.
I could be a 1/1000000 story…

happy12

Wed, Mar 20 2024, 8:13 pm

Renewal by mail is currently about 3 weeks. Two of my children did it in the Las 3 months. One even got it back in 2 weeks.
Not expedited.