Passport validity requirements by country

There is no single six-month rule. The Schengen area counts three months from the day you leave; the UK wants your passport valid for the whole stay; the US asks for six months and then exempts most countries. Each rule below was read on an official page, with the date.

Destination Passport must be valid Blank pages Rule for Source
Australia No minimum validity stated; a valid passport is required Not stated Visitor visa applicants immi.homeaffairs.gov.au · read
Valid for length of planned stay Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Brazil 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Canada No minimum validity stated; permits/visitor records not issued past passport expiry Not stated All visitors canada.ca · read
Valid for length of planned stay Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
China 6 months from arrival 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Egypt 6 months from arrival 1 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Ethiopia 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Ghana 6 months (visa on arrival) Not stated Visa on arrival gis.gov.gh · read
6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
India 6 months at time of e-Visa application (FAQ for minors: 6 months from date of arrival) 2 e-Visa applicants indianvisaonline.gov.in · read
6 months from arrival 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Indonesia 6 months from arrival 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Ireland 6 months after date you plan to leave Ireland (visa applicants) Not stated Visit visa applicants irishimmigration.ie · read
Jamaica Valid for duration of stay 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Japan Valid for length of stay; no additional validity 1 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Kenya 6 months 1 ETA applicants etakenya.go.ke · read
6 months from arrival 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Malaysia 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Mexico Valid for duration of stay (Mexican Embassy recommends 180 days) Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Morocco 3 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Nigeria 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Philippines 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Qatar 6 months from arrival ("should"); residents: valid on arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Rwanda 6 months from arrival 1 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Saudi Arabia 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Schengen area (29 countries) At least 3 months beyond the day you leave, and issued within the last 10 years Two blank pages, for a visa All non-EU visitors eur-lex.europa.eu · read
Singapore 6 months from arrival (no minimum for Singapore residents) Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
South Africa 30 days after intended date of departure 2 All visitors dha.gov.za · read
30 days after departure 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
South Korea Tourist up to 90 days: expiry after departure date; long-term visa: 6 months from arrival ("should") Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Sri Lanka 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Tanzania 6 months from arrival 1 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Thailand 6 months from arrival 1 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Türkiye 150 days from arrival (6 months from arrival if you live in Turkey) 1 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
Uganda 6 months from arrival Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
United Arab Emirates 6 months from arrival (3 months if UAE residence permit holder; 3 months from transit date if airside transit) Not stated British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read
United Kingdom Valid for the whole of the stay Not stated All visitors gov.uk · read
United States Valid for 6 months beyond your stay, unless your country is on the exemption list Not stated All visitors cbp.gov · read
Vietnam 6 months from arrival 2 British passports (UK Foreign Office) gov.uk · read

The US exemption list

US Customs and Border Protection asks for six months beyond your stay, then exempts citizens of 124 countries, who need a passport valid only for the stay. cbp.gov · read

Show the 124 exempt countries

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

Being on the list changes the passport rule only. It does not change whether you need a visa.

Not yet checked

We have not read a validity rule on an official page for these destinations yet, so we print none. Check the destination's own immigration site.

137 destinations not yet checked

The ten-year issue-date trap, blank pages and what happens at check-in are in our guide, how long your passport must be valid.

Newest read 4 October 2026. Check every figure against the government page.