RussianTexan

We land in AMS July 1 & leave the next morning. My little sister's passport expires on July 21. Would we have any attitude from AMS immigration or they would be likely to let us through without a comment if we have proof of onward tickets and whatnot?

cestmoi123

Well, it's certainly not valid for _entry_ into the Netherlands (needs to have three months of validity after your planned date of departure from the Schengen zone). Since you're just changing planes at AMS, unless you leave the transfer area, you wouldn't have to show your passport there, so you might be OK, although you'd have to stay in the terminal. The bigger issue will be getting on the plane to AMS in the first place - if your passport isn't valid for entry into the Netherlands, the airline may not let you on the plane in the first place.

Flaflyer

It is early February and you say your travel is early July? Five months is plenty of time to renew her passport before the trip. As mentioned the airline may not allow you to board.

Also, it is wise to have a passport valid for entry into any country you transit. Weather, volcanoes, snowstorms etc. can delay your travel for days and without a passport valid for leaving the airport you are stuck in the airport transit area for the duration. Not my idea of a fun vacation, although Schiphol would be one of the best places to get stuck.

Often1

This far ahead, you don't even need planned travel or expedite fees. I have no idea where you are coming from or going to, but it is a distinct likelihood that your daughter won't be able to board her flight so the transit issue at AMS won't matter.

RadioGirl

Where is your destination after AMS? The more critical point is whether having less than 1 month validity is okay for your final destination.

As a single data point in another region on SQ; I flew from SYD to Europe via SIN with ~5 months validity on my passport. Europe requires > 3 months but SIN requires > 6 months. I rang the Singapore embassy and was assured I would be okay for transit. The SQ agent in SYD was happy to check me in as long as I was not planning to leave the airport in SIN.

Randyk47

Absolutely get your sister's passport renewed now as previously recommended. You have more than enough time. We did our own renewals including shooting our own pictures and I think it took all of 22 days from mailing to receipt of new passports. Might take longer now so I'd not wait.

RussianTexan

Wow, I'm so sorry for providing so little information!

We are flying from St. Petersburg, Russia back to the United States & we have that long layover in Amsterdam which we are entering on U.S. passports. We are planning to rent a houseboat for one night & walk the canals & enjoy the late northern sunset.

Would they seriously not allow a little girl of 12 to enter the country with her family even if she's there only for 14 hours if the passport has only 22 days validity left?

It's not for a stay, it's for a layover. I realize immigration will define it differently, but if we show the onward tickets to the USA leaving the next morning, would they still prevent her from entering the country?

alanR

Yes.

cestmoi123

It's always _possible_ that the immigration officer will decide "ah, to heck with the rules, go ahead." I CERTAINLY wouldn't bet on it, though.

Again, it might not even come to that. It's very likely that whatever airline you're flying from St. Petersburg to AMS won't even let her board, since, if she's denied admission into AMS, they'll have to fly her back to St. Petersburg on their own dime.

GUWonder

With so much time until travel, why not get to an appropriate US embassy or consulate and just put in for a new passport? It would ordinarily be back to the embassy/consulate within 3-4 weeks without the expedite fee. AMS is enforcing the three months beyond rule.

If it's an airside transit -- and airside hotel rooms and other sleeping possibilities exist at AMS -- this kind of expiration date won't commonly matter. But if the luggage is tagged only to AMS -- which is what I've seen happen on some longer overnight transits at AMS -- then it's more likely there would be an issue unless the travel party is split.

Randyk47

It's a real and serious risk. I'd even venture to guess the level of tolerance in Europe right now is even lower than a couple of months ago. In my mind there is a higher probability of issues than there is that authorities will just nod and let her go. Your scenario actually got worse in my mind with your added details.

CA_Danny

To the best of my knowledge there are no airside sleeping accomodations at AMS, (but being from the Netherlands I never had the need to really check) meaning you will have to "enter" the Netherlands for that one night. As Dutch (and EU) law requires a passport is valid for at least three months (the longest U.S. citizens can stay in Europe without a visa), any person without such a passport, I'm sorry to say, will not be allowed entry into the country.

It may be a layover, but Dutch immigration law defines it as seeking entry into the country. As easygoing as Dutch immigration officers generally are, it is unlikely they will allow her to enter "because it's only for one night".

It is much safer to, like many posters above have said, simply apply for a new passport at the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate. You still have about 20 weeks to arrange that, so that should not be an issue at all. Alternatively, if this would be an issue for you, you may want to look into direct flights from St. Petersburg into a U.S. airport.

alanR

Yes there are.

http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1730...al/index.shtml
http://www.yotel.com/Hotels/Amsterdam-Schiphol

Often1

1. No such thing as a layover. You are likely on a connection. But, that is a ticketing/faring issue and has nothing to do with entering the country. You propose to enter the country.

2. The risk that your daughter will be denied entry is almost irrelevant. The much greater risk is that your daughter is denied boarding at LED. Air carriers get fined massive amounts of money when they transport passengers in violation of local law. A low-level agent at a check-in counter balances his carrier being fined US$10K or more against simply denying boarding. Where do you think that agent comes out?

3. If your daughter does make it to AMS, yes there is a substantial chance that she is denied entry and you along with her as her guardian.

Why take any risk at all? Your daughter's situation is simply fixed either by mail or at at least 3 post offices in San Antonio (and possibly more).

CA_Danny

I did not know that, thanks for looking that up. The second hotel would not be an option for OP though, as it will be closed in July.