5

Here is what I have.

  • I am 17 years old, and I have a Russian passport, currently living in greece.

  • I've been living in Greece (a European country) from the age of 2.

  • I also do have a residence permit that expires in 2021.

  • My mother doesn't have a European/Greek passport, but she is married to a Greek/European citizen.

  • I want to go to the Netherlands for 2 weeks, with a return ticket. However, 2 weeks after my return, my passport will expire. Basically, my passwort will NOT expire during my stay in the Netherlands, but it will be expire 1 month from today.

  • I have traveled to the Netherlands last summer, using my Russian passport and my "residence card of a family member of a Union citizen". I could go through the Greek and the Dutch checks with ease, and I did not need a visa.

Is it definite that I will be stopped from boarding the plane, since my passport expires in a month? (While it should not expire 3 months after my return, since I heard that's a rule).

Take in consideration that I cannot renew my Russian passport more than 2 months before it expires, and it takes 2 months to succesfully renew it. This basically makes it impossible for me to travel anywhere in the EU for this small gap of time. What if I was an adult with a job? It doesn't make sense.

Improve this question
8
  • 1
    Russian citizens can have two international passports
    – VMAtm
    Commented Dec 18, 2017 at 23:43
  • 1
    Most countries will also issue a new passport before the current one expires, usually canceling the first one in the process.
    – phoog
    Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 0:01
  • Formally, when traveling within the EU, you need both your passport and residence permit. But if you're flying directly from Greece to the Netherlands, most probably there will be no one to check. If checking-in online, with most airlines and in most airports, you won't even need to show any identification to anyone.
    – ach
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 1:44
  • Last time I traveled to the netherlands from greece, I had to show my passport/residence permit both in Greece and in the Netherlands
    – Simon Kozlov
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 14:28
  • @SimonKozlov You mean on arriving in the Netherlands? To whom? You just walk to the baggage hall and exit. Or do you mean when checking in for the flight? That makes more sense.
    – Crazydre
    Commented Dec 21, 2017 at 21:17

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

As stated in Timatic, the database used by airlines:

Passports and other documents accepted for entry issued to residents of Greece must be valid on arrival.

A generalised search for the Netherlands gives:

Passports and other documents accepted for entry must be valid for a minimum of 3 months beyond the period of intended stay.

  • Passports and other documents accepted for entry issued to nationals of the Netherlands must be valid on arrival.
  • Passports and other documents accepted for entry issued to residents of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City (Holy See) and Schengen Member States must be valid on arrival.

So your passport (and residence permit) only has to be valid on the day you enter the Netherlands.

The 3-month rule applies to non-EU/EFTA citizens not holding a residence permit in an EU/EFTA country.

Also, there are no border checks between Greece and the Netherlands, so unless flying on a low-cost carrier, you will usually not have to show your passport to check-in staff except if checking in luggage (to see that you're the ticket holder)

Improve this answer
13
  • europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/… This doesn't specify anything like what you've mentioned, along with other similar sites. They've stated the same thing, without mentioning any exceptions.
    – Simon Kozlov
    Commented Dec 18, 2017 at 20:55
  • @SimonKozlov Well, that's the rules for non-residents. Timatic is based on information given by border authorities to IATA, and therefore should normally be trusted over other sources, which may not list complete information (as in this case) or may be outdated. Check-in staff relies on Timatic exclusively
    – Crazydre
    Commented Dec 18, 2017 at 20:57
  • 1
    @SimonKozlov Also, it is international practice that legal residents of a country won't be forced to have a passport valid beyond the date of entry to that country. Schengen is a single country for border purposes, thus your trip is effectively domestic, and all airlines except low-cost ones will treat it as such
    – Crazydre
    Commented Dec 18, 2017 at 20:59
  • 1
    @SimonKozlov For example here cms.olympicair.com/timatic/webdocsI/spdbmainv.html Select Russia as the nationality, Greece in "Alien resident of" (important) and Netherlands as the destination. Like I said, what you see there is literally what check-in staff will see as well.
    – Crazydre
    Commented Dec 18, 2017 at 21:01
  • 1
    @SimonKozlov Edited the answer, showing a generalised Timatic search. As you can see, the 3-month rule would apply if you didn't have a Greek residence Permit.
    – Crazydre
    Commented Dec 20, 2017 at 0:05

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .