Passport Validity Calculator (6-Month & 3-Month Rules)
Check whether your passport is valid long enough for a trip under the 6-month rule, the Schengen 3-month rule or "valid for the stay" — validity left on arrival and departure and the latest date you can travel.
How it works
6 months beyond arrival: expiry ≥ arrival date + 6 months · 6 months beyond departure: expiry ≥ departure date + 6 months · Schengen: expiry ≥ departure from the Schengen area + 3 months (and the passport must have been issued within the last 10 years) · valid for the stay: expiry ≥ departure date
Many countries refuse entry — and airlines refuse boarding — if a passport expires too soon after the trip. The common "six-month rule" requires at least six months of validity, counted from arrival in some countries and from departure in others. The Schengen area requires three months beyond the date you plan to leave and a passport issued within the previous ten years, while many countries in the Americas only require validity for the length of the stay. Rules change and vary by nationality, so confirm with the destination's embassy or your airline before you book.
Worked example
A passport expiring on August 20, 2027, for a trip arriving December 18, 2026 and leaving January 5, 2027, to a country with the 6-months-beyond-arrival rule: it must be valid until at least June 18, 2027, so the passport meets the rule, with 8 months 2 days of validity left on arrival and 7 months 15 days on departure. The latest arrival date it allows is February 20, 2027.
Sources: US CBP — Six-month passport validity update (Six-Month Club) · Regulation (EU) 2016/399 — Schengen Borders Code, Article 6 entry conditions
Frequently asked questions
What is the 6-month passport rule?
Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your date of arrival (or departure). If it is not, you can be refused boarding or entry even though the passport has not yet expired.
How long must my passport be valid for Europe (Schengen)?
At least three months beyond the date you intend to leave the Schengen area, and it must have been issued within the previous ten years. Some airlines apply stricter checks, so more margin is safer.
Which countries require six months of passport validity?
Many countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa — for example Thailand, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and China — and several others. Requirements differ by nationality; check the destination's embassy or the official travel advice of your country.
When should I renew my passport?
Renew when it has about 9–12 months left if you travel abroad, since processing can take weeks and many countries need six months of validity. The calculator's "latest date" shows the last day this passport works for your rule.
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Entry rules differ by destination and nationality and can change. Confirm the requirement with the destination's embassy, official travel advice or your airline before you travel.