Passport Expiry for New Zealand... valid 3 months...

[lesliew]

I have read the 'suggested' policy HAL states that your passport should be valid for six months after you return from your trip. I called HAL, and they said it is their 'suggestion' not a hard and fast 'rule'. However, as we are travelling to New Zealand I went to their Immigration Website and it states the following: "You will have to show us your passport. This must be valid for at least three months past the date you are to leave New Zealand."

http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/visit/visitors/

 

We arrive in Auckland on October 20th, and depart on our Cruise October 21st, returning home from Sydney, Australia (which has no passport expiry rules on their website.) My passport expires on January 20th, 2008, so I am exactly at the three month period for when we arrive in NZ. I'm just not sure what date they will use as our 'departure date'. The documents we received from our TA mentioned nothing about expiry dates, only that you needed a 'valid passport', so I never even worried about it. It was only when I was on HAL website looking up something else, that I came upon their six month suggestion, which lead me to look into the countries we are visiting (NZ and Oz). As we only have just over 8 weeks, I am concerned if I try to get a new Canadian Passport, there will not be enough time (I've heard horror stories).

Just wondering, has anyone ever experienced a problem with a passport expiring in less than the 3 months when visiting New Zealand? Thanks. Leslie.

P.S. I have sent an email to the New Zealand Immigration folks, but have not had a response yet.

[nlgirl]

Most of the time they need to be valid for at least 6 months when you return to the US. I know some people that were short on this and they had a very difficult time getting back into the country. It cost them a substantial amount of money. I would highly suggest that you renew your passport before you go.

[eh2zed]

HAL likely uses the 6 months as a standard direction since there are many countries that require it. To be safe i would get a new one. in our city passports are taking only 3 weeks. Check it out first.

[Chivalrygirl]

Hi, Personally I would not travel with a passport that was inside the 6 month period. I always make sure I have some leniency in this department. If that is what our immigration says you will probably be OK but do you have to pass through the US on your way home or are you flying direct into Canada. It is actually the US that makes all these rules :confused: and I might add heaps of others that actually send me bonkers

[Pete Jackson]

The six-month rule is especially annoying for Canadians since our passports are only good for five years, instead of the ten years that the U.S. last. So, with the six-month rule, we have to get new ones about as often as the Olympic games, or leap years, occur!

[Chivalrygirl]

I think it will change for everybody as they intorduce the electronic passports. I got one at the beginning of the year, it is now only for 5 years and let me tell you it cost a bomb $150