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

by Emma
(Blackburrn)

Question: I have only 4 months left on my passport and am due to go on holiday in the next couple of days for a week. Will I be able to go to the Canary 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 tourism 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.

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Passport lapse
by: Chris

Question: Can I travel to Lanzarote if my passport lapses at end of July.

Answer: As part of Spain, the Canary Islands (Lanzarote) requires at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from their country. You need to renew your passport before you can travel.

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5 months until expiry
by: Anonymous

Question: My 4-year-old daughter has 5 months left on her passport and we are due to fly to Fuerteventura tomorrow. I don’t know why I didn’t check but I’ve just realized this morning. Will she be ok to fly?

Answer: As part of Spain, Fuerteventura requires at least 3 months of validity remaining counted from your date of departure from their country. Your daughter's passport should still meet this requirement if you're not staying for too long.

Passport
by: Tom

Question: Can I travel to Fuerteventura for a week if my passport is due for renewal in March 2020?

Answer: As long as you have at least 3 months remaining on your passport after you leave Fuerteventura, you should be okay. Please contact the airline you are flying with to confirm travel document requirements.

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UPDATE: Mailing delays and high demand are impacting passport processing. The Department of State's processing times begin when applications are received at a passport agency or center and not when you mail them or apply at a local acceptance facility. Standard service may take between 8 and 11 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.

Expedited service takes from 5 to 7 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.

Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.

Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.

If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment:

Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793) Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.

For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.

If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.

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