Until recently, Romanians needed a passport to visit Turkey, one of the most popular tourist destinations. The new rule, in force this summer, does not apply to minors under 14. A condition valid in many countries, especially non-EU ones, took a Romanian family by surprise.
Before traveling to non-EU countries, check how long the Collage DMS passport is still valid
The new tourism measures introduced this year allow Romanian citizens to enter Turkey only with the bulletin, which saves us from many inconveniences. For minors up to 14 years of age, however, the requirement that the passport be valid for at least six months before entering Turkish territory remains in force.
A Romanian woman discovered, upon arriving on vacation, from Frankfurt in Antalya, that her child’s passport did not comply with this validity condition. What happened? She recounted her experience with this expired passport on a Facebook group dedicated to Turkey, wanting it to be a lesson for other families with children.
This occasion helped us elucidate the mystery of the validity of the passport in one country, which can be considered expired in another, as well as the conditions under which you can get a visa fee, along with many other useful information for those who want to spend holidays abroad.
“Travel to Turkey with passport valid for less than six months”
The author of the post titled it “Journey in Turkey with a passport valid for less than six months (in our case, three months until expiry)”. It stated in the preamble: “I don’t encourage anyone to take risks like I did. If you can change your travel date or get an emergency passport, do it! I didn’t have this chance.”
Then, he told his story: “So we flew from Frankfurt, where nobody told us anything. I arrived in Antalyaand at the airport, the policeman asked if (the little one) had an identity card. I didn’t have, because he is a child. Then he invited us into his office. He politely showed me where to pay the visa fee. It would be recommended to pay by card, if you don’t have pounds in cash. I went back to him with the check and he put the visa stamp in it passport. It all took about 15-20 minutes. Then, I passed the customs”.
Visa fee, instead of a compromised holiday: “With this money you could buy three passports”
The visa fee, required instead of the full validity of the passport, cost 150 euros: “You better make three new passports with this money. Don’t risk it! It’s a lot, and I regret the mistake. But I’d rather give this money than lose the 2,000 euros paid for the vacation. I don’t even mention stress. Even before the most difficult exam of my life, I didn’t feel like this, I was making all kinds of movies in my head”the author of the post later mentioned in the comments.
Form to be filled in Turkey for visa fee Photo Anastasia Asia Facebook
From the reactions of Internet users, we have noted that the situation is not singular. Some Romanians took the risk, while others only found out at customs that they could pay the visa fee. There are also those who boasted that the Turkish customs officers let them pass, even in this situation, either because they did not notice or because they ignored the problem.
The mystery of the passport “expired” for some countries but valid for others
In the context of international travel, a passport is considered “expired” if its validity is less than six months from the date of entry into that country.
Although the passport may not technically be fully expired (ie, the validity period specified on the document has not passed), many countries, such as Turkey, impose the six-month rule to ensure that passengers have a valid document for a sufficient period of time after entering the country.
Thus the mystery in the case is explained “The wandering of some Romanians in Turkey”who woke up the same day with the child’s passport expired in Antalya, although the same document had been perfectly valid in Frankfurt, Germany.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF PASSPORTS
When it comes to the validity of passports, it is essential to know the rules specific to each country. In general, a passport, whether for adults or children, is considered valid until the expiry date stated on the document. However, each country has its own requirements.
Passport validity rules
The required passport validity before entering a country varies considerably. Many countries require that your passport be valid for at least six months from the date of entry or for the duration of your stay. However, there are also countries that impose different requirements, such as three or 60 days.
For example, in most countries in the European Union, adults over 14 can only travel with their passport, but minors under 14 must have a valid passport for the duration of their stay. In non-EU countries, passport validity requirements can vary between three and six months, with the exception of some destinations, such as Seychelles, which do not impose this rule.
Useful recommendations
In order to avoid the inconvenience experienced by the family who went on vacation in Antalya, the authorities recommend consulting the section “Travel conditions“ on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or contacting the diplomatic mission of the respective state in Romania, before going abroad, whether you are traveling with children or not.
On the MFA website, regarding EU countries, it is stated: “Entry into … (requested country) is permitted with an expired passport or identity card.” Thus, in most EU countries, it is sufficient for the passport of minors under 14 to be valid for the entire period of stay.
The UK does not impose the six-month requirement for children under 16, but it is recommended that the passport is valid for the duration of the trip.
Many South American countries, such as Argentina and Brazil, allow entry with a passport valid only for the period of stay, without imposing the six-month requirement. And countries like Mexico and Costa Rica only allow entry with a passport valid for the duration of the stay. In contrast, the United States often has a six-month validity requirement.
In Asia and Africa, many countries require the passport to be valid for six months or more on the date of entry. Popular destinations such as Tanzania, Egypt and Tunisia require a passport valid for at least six months, while for Morocco, the requirement is only three months.
“Romanian citizens do not need a visa to travel to the United Arab Emirates, but they must hold a simple passport, valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the state”it is mentioned for example on the MFA website for those interested in going to Dubai, for example.
Also, countries like Indonesia and Malaysia don’t always enforce the six-month requirement for children under 14, but it’s important to check for up-to-date information as rules can change.
Conclusion
Rules regarding the validity of passports, including the requirement to have a minimum period of validity of six months before entering a country, vary significantly from one nation to another. These requirements are not uniform, regardless of whether we are talking about countries in the European Union (EU) or outside it.
To avoid hassles at customs, whether you are alone or with one or more children, it is recommended that you always check the entry requirements of each country you wish to visit, including those related to the validity of your passport, especially if about a non-EU country.
Consulting official embassy or consulate websites is a prudent measure to obtain up-to-date information on required documents, including passport validity requirements. Make sure that including your child’s passport is valid for the entire duration of the trip, even if the destination does not impose the six-month rule.
In a future edition, we will also clarify what the visa fee is in Turkey, under what conditions it is offered, and which other countries accept the payment of a visa fee if the passport does not meet the validity requirements.
