Can I visit the Canary Islands if my passport expires in only 4 months?

by Emma
(Blackburrn)

Question: I have only 4 months left on my passport and due to go on holiday in next couple of days for a week. Will I be able to go to the Canaries Islands or will I be sent back?

Answer: The Canary Islands are a territory of Spain and, therefore, you must abide by the entry requirements for that country.

Spain is a party to the Schengen agreement. As such, U.S. citizens may enter Spain for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.

Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen Fact Sheet.

Since you will depart next week for a one-week stay on the Canary Islands, it appears that your passport will have approximately three months validity upon your return to the U.S. You need to verify this.

If your passport will have less than three months of validity remaining, then you need to renew it quickly. With such a short time to do this, you only have two options.

One, personally schedule and appointment and submit your renewal application at a regional passport agency. Two, authorize a professional expediter to submit your application for emergency passport renewal.