Nordic Countries - Entry into Sweden and passport expiration date

Baby Swede's passport expires in mid-October 2012. As I understand it, your passport (US, in this case) must have 3 months' validity beyond the length of your stay. We plan on visiting Sweden this summer. The problem is, we don't know when yet; most likely, we would be returning to the US in early/mid-July (with late July being a very small possibility). In all of my trips to Sweden, I've never been asked about my return trip plans, but I've also never had a passport about to expire, either. Has anyone experienced this?

Here is the kicker: Baby Swede is a Swedish citizen by birth. We will apply for her personnummer through the consulate in L.A. this spring, and we will also apply for her Swedish passport when we're in Sweden this summer. Does her citizenship absolve her of the passport validity requirement noted in the first paragraph?

And if you just tell me to suck it up and renew her passport now, I'm fine with that. :p

Baby Swede's passport expires in mid-October 2012. As I understand it, your passport (US, in this case) must have 3 months' validity beyond the length of your stay. I don't know where you've got that from. AFAIK, the validity does not have to extend beyond your stay.

From the US State Dept's website...



There are 25 European countries that are party to the Schengen Agreement, which eliminates all internal border controls between them. Once you enter one Schengen country you may travel continuously for up to 90 days within the member countries. Within the Schengen area, you do not show your passport when crossing country borders.

If you are traveling for business or tourism:

* You don’t need a visa for the initial entry into the Schengen area, but you must have a passport valid three months beyond the proposed stay.
* For example, for a two-week business trip, the passport must be valid for four months; for a two-month holiday the passport must be valid for five months.


http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_4361.html

How about booking refundable tickets with a trip back to the US that shows a return well before whatever three-months expiration policy/practice may be? That way you have something to show a return sooner than whatever period of time may be a concern.

I'd suggest trusting the Swedish government's own representations more than the US State Department's online representations when it comes to Swedish entry policies/practices (if that is where you are entering the Schengen zone); so give the Swedish embassy a call in DC and ask for their recommendation. Most countries seem to prefer or require that citizens of the country being entered use the passport of the country being entered when a citizen of the country.

The Swedish passport is a lot cheaper if procured in Sweden than if procured outside of Sweden, is that why you are doing it there instead of while in the US? Natural-born US citizens with Swedish birthright citizenship quite ordinarily get Swedish passports issued in the US since otherwise the Schengen country that is the point of entry into the Schengen zone may -- at least for some time -- treat the person as if the person is not a citizen of a relevant Schengen country.

I suggest you double-check on the information provided by the US State Department's web site. They are not always right about other countries' rules.

I know that one needs three months passport validity for a Schengen visa. I'm not so sure if this also applies to those who don't need a visa. You should check with the Swedish authorities to get authoritative information on this.

I agree that you should check with swedish with authorities just to be safe.

The situation resembles that of an expat swede returning home, and I seriously doubt that a swede would need a passport validity beyond entry date. IMO.

I agree that you should check with swedish with authorities just to be safe.


Thanks everyone. I'll contact the local Swedish consulate here.


The situation resembles that of an expat swede returning home, and I seriously doubt that a swede would need a passport validity beyond entry date. IMO.

As a side note, Mrs. Swede returned to Sweden on an expired Swedish passport (expired by a few months and unbeknownst to us). The immigrations officer told her that her passport was expired, typed a few things in the computer, and then said welcome home. Not sure if the process would be that easy when returning to the US on an expired American passport! She went to the police station a few days later and got a new one in under a week--not bad for the middle of summer!

This nifty link (which is linked to a reference guide used by all major airlines) says only the passport has to be valid...

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/travel/passport/default.aspx


Passport required.
- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid
on arrival.

Visa required, except for A max. stay of 3 months:
- for nationals of USA;

Additional Information:

- Visitors are required to hold proof of sufficient funds to
cover their stay and documents required for their next
destination.


Anyways, I'll give the consulate a call.

From the US State Dept's website...



http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_4361.html
Hi,
I'm travelling to Italy from Newark airport in a very short time with 6 months minus 1 day on my US passport from the day of my scheduled departure. Do you see a problem with that? I may not be able to renew at this short time frame. I have heard 6 months but have researched that I need 3 months.

Hi,
I'm travelling to Italy from Newark airport in a very short time with 6 months minus 1 day on my US passport from the day of my scheduled departure. Do you see a problem with that? I may not be able to renew at this short time frame. I have heard 6 months but have researched that I need 3 months.

This is of course, a very relevant question to put in the Scandinavia forum.

From your information, you are travelling from EWK (New Jersey) to 'Italy'

To be on the safe side:
Don't ride any car over any bridge
Don't eat at any small Italian restaurant before take-off
Keep Kevlar vest on all the time

:)

I'm sure you all were on the edge of your seats waiting for a response... :p

Per the Swedish Embassy in DC, as long as Baby Swede's US passport is valid upon entry, she's fine.

Another ^ is that Mrs. Swede e-mailed the question to them, and got a response in under four hours.

I'm sure you all were on the edge of your seats waiting for a response... :p

Per the Swedish Embassy in DC, as long as Baby Swede's US passport is valid upon entry, she's fine.

Another ^ is that Mrs. Swede e-mailed the question to them, and got a response in under four hours.

Can you pull up the IP address from which the email response came? I'd be curious to know it. :D

I'm sure you all were on the edge of your seats waiting for a response... :p

Per the Swedish Embassy in DC, as long as Baby Swede's US passport is valid upon entry, she's fine.

Another ^ is that Mrs. Swede e-mailed the question to them, and got a response in under four hours.

This is typical of the US state department. Their website is choc full of BS about entry requirements and so forth. In this case they are confusing the requirements of people who require visa vs. visa waiver (i.e. US citizens) for Schengen.

The rule of thumb is that developed countries don't have silly requirements about passport expiration.

The best place to a new Swedish Passport is at a police station. You'll need some documentation of entitlement but they get the job done.

I've had to deal with Canadian Embassy's (I'm expat Swede) and they are difficult/and outright ugly to help the citizen. I'm not sure about DC or LA but of course, they have to deal with so many different citizens.

Last time I renewed, in Gothenburg, I was behind a longish line of Japanese. It was sort of sureal, but I'd prefer that any day to the prissy, self-important and oh-so busy civil servants in Canada. It is embarrasing how seriously they take themselves, not taking into account that within 2 yrs they'll be looking for loans and single bars will be a thing of the past.

Even the the pseudo Ambassadors/ not too mention their their insufferable spouses, are useless. If you can, do it in Sweden ~ you'll save a bundle. Consider this: a family of 5 Swedes living in Perth, will first have travel to across Oz, designated offices to apply for renewal. This involves expenses for travel as well as accomodation. They will then have to return 2-3 weeks later to pick up the approved passports. More expenses ~ all in all it costs more than a holiday!

I repeat go to the source and save both money and aggro.

Hello to everyone,

I m gonna tell you in brief the story which has been arise without being in know.Well......

I hold a Greek passport expired on March 2013. I reside in UK and booked an air-ticket to Sweden with SAS airlines at the end of December 2012 for 10 days holidays.

Is my passport still valid or I will be in trouble in my departure from Manchester airport and arrival in there???
Its urgent because my appointment with Greek authorities is on February and I cant renew the passport at an earlier point.What shall I do?PLEASE HELP..............I would be grateful

Hello to everyone,

I m gonna tell you in brief the story which has been arise without being in know.Well......

I hold a Greek passport expired on March 2013. I reside in UK and booked an air-ticket to Sweden with SAS airlines at the end of December 2012 for 10 days holidays.

Is my passport still valid or I will be in trouble in my departure from Manchester airport and arrival in there???
Its urgent because my appointment with Greek authorities is on February and I cant renew the passport at an earlier point.What shall I do?PLEASE HELP..............I would be grateful

No problem whatsoever, at either end. Your EU passport is valid for travel within the EU until its expiry date (and some countries will even let you in after that)

Hello to everyone,

I m gonna tell you in brief the story which has been arise without being in know.Well......

I hold a Greek passport expired on March 2013. I reside in UK and booked an air-ticket to Sweden with SAS airlines at the end of December 2012 for 10 days holidays.

Is my passport still valid or I will be in trouble in my departure from Manchester airport and arrival in there???
Its urgent because my appointment with Greek authorities is on February and I cant renew the passport at an earlier point.What shall I do?PLEASE HELP..............I would be grateful

If you have valid national ID card, you don't need passport at all.