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Updated April 2024

When planning an international trip, it is important to make sure you have a valid passport. In addition to making sure your passport is still valid, many countries recommend that travellers have at least 6 months of validity remaining on their passport when traveling internationally.

Read on as Wego unveils which countries observe the 6-month passport validity rule for entry.

Table of Contents

What is the 6-month passport validity rule?

The 6-month passport validity rule is a recommendation made by numerous countries worldwide that suggests travelers should have at least 6 months of validity remaining on their passport when traveling internationally. This recommendation is not a universal requirement, and the specific passport validity requirements can vary from one country to another.

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Countries observing the 6-month passport validity rule

The 6-month period may start on the day you depart from the country you are visiting or the day you arrive, depending on the prevailing rules. We strongly advise you to check with your airline, travel agent, or even the embassy or consulate of your destination country prior to booking flights.

The following countries observe the 6-month passport validity rule:

Afghanistan
Africa
Algeria
Anguilla
Bahrain
Bhutan
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cayman Islands
Chad
Comoros
Curacao
Côte D’Ivoire
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Fiji
Gabon
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Indonesia
India
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kenya
Kiribati
Laos
Madagascar
Malaysia
Marshall Island
Micronesia
Myanmar
Namibia
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Oman
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Qatar
Rwanda
Samoa
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Somalia
Somaliland
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
St. Lucia
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Tokelau
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Please note that the list of countries may be subject to change.

Countries not observing the 6-month passport rule

Some countries simply require a passport to be valid for 3 months following the date of scheduled arrival. The 3-month limit for passport validity is used by some of the most travelled countries worldwide.

Albania
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Czechia
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Honduras
Iceland
Italy
Jordan
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Nauru
North Macedonia
Netherlands
Norway
Panama
Poland
Portugal
Senegal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland

Please note that nationals of Albania, Honduras, North Macedonia, Panama, and Senegal require a 3-month passport validity from your arrival date into the country. Schengen countries require that you have a passport validity of 3 months from the date you intend to leave the EU.

Additionally, apart from the 6 or 3-month passport requirement, some countries may observe other validity periods as follows:

Bermuda: 45 days upon entry
Eritrea: 3 months on arrival
Hong Kong: 3 months on arrival
Lebanon: 3 months on arrival
Macau: 3 months on arrival
Micronesia: 4 months on arrival
South Africa: 3 months on arrival
The Maldives: 3 months on arrival
Zambia: 4 months on arrival

Can I travel if my passport expires in less than 6 months?

The 6-month passport validity rule is meant to ensure that travellers have a valid passport for the duration of their trip. Some countries will not permit travellers to enter their borders unless their passport has a minimum expiration date of at least 6 months after the final day of travel.

In short, should your passport have less than six months remaining until its expiration date, we advise you to first renew your passport before travelling.