It makes you wonder why even bother with an expiry date if that's not the actual date on which your passport expires.

Apparently it's in case something (ie an act of terrorism) happens that prevents your timely departure from the country you're visiting. Personally, I think that if something like that happens a valid passport is the least of your worries

Everyone does not "know". Don't speak for everyone else please. How do they deserve it? Isn't it silly to say that when these guys spent months planning a trip? Maybe they don't travel much, maybe the country has a specific rule.

I didnt know.

I didn't know this, either. Fortunately, all of my overseas trips have come after I've had my passport issued or renewed. This reminds me to be more careful on future trips.

#2 It depends on your citizenship and your destination. I have an EU passport and I can use it to travel in Europe till its expiration date.

I also thought the 6 months rules was a common knowledge thing. That's part of all the information my parents released to me when I became an adult like you need insurance to drive a car and how to change a flat tire. I guess I was wrong thinking everyone knew that. Thank you FML for opening up my mind!

It's common knowledge to people who travel internationally a lot. Assuming it's common knowledge to the rest of us is you being stuck in your bubble. Not everyone has the same experiences, knowledge, and upbringing.

I have to say, it does actually make sense, but that's far from common knowledge. I had no clue myself.

If they went through a travel agent, he should have told them.

I hardly ever travel internationally - can't even remember the last time I did - but even I know that. A 6 month passport validity is part of the visa requirements for most countries, and that's something you need to check before you actually go anywhere.

I've traveled to 16 countries, studied aboard three times, and have lived in five other countries (other than my own). I NEVER knew they wouldn't let you travel if your passport will expire in six months. I've never heard of such a thing in all my travels. I'm not sure this is common knowledge.

I didn't know that, but I've never had a passport.

never heard of that rule how long is it been that way

It's not common knowledge, and it does depend on the country, but the buffer period before a passport's expiration date is definitely something they tell you when you're doing the paperwork for the passport. This might be why there are people denying it's common knowledge. They possibly don't have a passport, didn't read the paperwork well enough when they got their passport, or they're in a country whose passports don't have buffer periods for exiting the country. OP's situation is exactly why they either tell you or put in writing for you to sign that you'll likely get barred from leaving the country If you're too close to the expiration date.

In all fairness, the 6 month rule doesn't make much sense at all. I mean, shouldn't the expiration date on the actual passport determine when you can travel until. Then there's the fact that not everybody is made aware of this rule in an effective manner.

So really it actually expires six month before they say it expires.

It actually depends on your destination. And I did not know this. Pretty sure that is not a common knowledge thing.

My husband travels to some pretty far off destinations for work all the time and neither one of us knew this.

Every time I've booked a holiday, it has said to make sure there is at least 6 months left on my passport.. When you renew your passport it adds however much time you had left on your previous one onto your new one, so you still have those 6 months.

Wasn't all over my paperwork when I got a passport and travelled to different countries. This is the first time I've even heard of it.

I'm pretty sure this is nowhere near common knowledge. I wasn't aware of this rule, it's the first time I've ever heard of it. I've also travelled to other countries with only a couple months away from the expiry date. So clearly I was very lucky.

Yeah, exactly. I pointed out that it would have been all over his paperwork. I know this, because I travel a lot. But, I'm glad a bunch of idiot children who have never traveled out of the country were here to tell me that I'm wrong. *Eye roll* It's SO sad this country is so full of trash who can't read.

72- It's funny that you mention trash, you're the only person in this thread of comments who fits the description. I hope one day I can be as "all knowing" as you because everyone knows how attractive arrogance is...

Oh, yes, how dare the uneducated plebeians tell you you're wrong. Let us all bow before you, Omnipotent One. Deign us with your wisdom and teach us your ways. ******* get over yourself; you were proved wrong that this information was indeed not common knowledge and now you're having a pissy fit and calling people trash. If you don't want your opinion contradicted, don't put it on the Internet.

#72--Bitch, I've traveled to 16 countries, studied abroad 3 times, and lived in 5 countries. NEVER heard of this rule, never saw it on my paperwork, never had it be an issue. Don't assume you're the only one who travels internationally or that everyone else responding are just "kids" who haven't left the states. Some people clearly just never had it come up or be a problem. It's certainly good to know, and I'm glad I know now for my next trip, but this isn't common knowledge, even for extensive international travelers, such as myself.

Uh i had no idea about this stupid rule. they shouldn't bother to have an expiration date then if you can't travel 6 months before it even expires.

@82: It's not really the expiration date that's the problem. It has to do with your visum. Most of them are valid for 60 to 90 days, so their reasoning is your identification should be valid just as long on the date of your departure. Technically, you could decide to cancel your trip back and stay longer and they don't want you to stay without a valid identification paper. The rule also doesn't apply everywhere, it doesn't if you live in the EU and travel to a different EU country...

Yes it is sad that there is so many trashy people in this country. Like the kind of trashy people who think that anyone who hasn't had the same experiences as them is beneath them.

And that's why they skip over allowing you onto the plane ;)

It says they saved for months to go on this trip. The cost of a new flight AND emergency passport would hoover up their savings and they would probably need more money...

Look at the comments. It's very obviously NOT 'common knowledge'. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of people would assume that a passport expires on its actual date of expiration, not 6 months before.

Gee, someone's a special super intelligent snowflake. Here I thought it was because most people don't fly all that often and thus don't spend their time studying the terms and conditions of air travel. But I'm sure you're right, it's because we're all stupid and didn't pay attention during that month long mandatory 'passports and their expiration dates' lecture we all had in school.

It's not common knowledge. What the **** is the point of having an expiration date if you can't use it up until the expiration date? That'd be like having your drivers license unusable 6 months before it expires.