Simon Calder's Holiday Helpdesk: Can I enter Egypt with only three months left on my passport?

Q I am travelling to Egypt in the middle of September and by then I will only have five months’ validity left on my passport. Will this be OK for me getting into the country? I have read that Sharm el Sheikh only requires three months for UK citizens.

Janelle Moore

A Get a new passport now. While the Egyptian authorities may show some flexibility, what worries me is whether you will get on the plane at all. The Foreign Office says: "Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Egypt." The airline is entitled to use that statement to deny you boarding on the outbound flight, so you may get no further than check-in.

In terms of renewal, HM Passport Office warns: “It takes at least three weeks to get your passport - use a different service if you need your passport urgently.” But in my experience, if you can use the Post Office check-and-send service today, and it’s a straightforward application, you can be confident of getting the passport in good time, without going to the considerable expense in time and money of making a personal application.

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