Does Germany enforce a six month passport rule?

Question

Some countries require you to have six months remaining on your passport in order to visit. According to this list, Germany is not among them, but this note from the US State department says "U.S. citizens traveling on passports that expire in fewer than six months have increasingly been denied airline boarding or been detained upon arrival in certain foreign destinations, including popular European travel destinations in the Schengen area." This article echoes that.

The State Department's Schengen FAQ says "Some Schengen countries assume all travelers will stay the full three months allowed for visa-free visitors, meaning you may not be admitted unless your passport is valid for at least six months, regardless of the duration of your stay. This requirement may also apply if you are transiting a Schengen airport for several hours en route to a non-Schengen destination." Is Germany one of those countries?

Assume a US traveler planning to go to Germany for a few days with a passport that will be valid for more than three but less than six months after the return flight, with the departure flight too soon to go through the routine renewal process and be confident that a new passport would arrive prior to departure. Can the traveler wait until after the trip to do the renewal?

The Germany Page from the US State Department suggests the traveler can wait, but even that page is inconsistent about the number of blank pages required and the Embassy Messages link produces a 404 error, so the page is of questionable reliability.

Answer 1

The rule is defined in article 5 of the Schengen Borders code:

1. For intended stays on the territory of the Member States of a duration of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period, which entails considering the 180-day period preceding each day of stay, the entry conditions for third-country nationals shall be the following:

(a) they are in possession of a valid travel document entitling the holder to cross the border satisfying the following criteria:

(i) its validity shall extend at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Member States. In a justified case of emergency, this obligation may be waived;

(ii) it shall have been issued within the previous 10 years;

So a passport valid for more than three months after departure is fine, there is no six-month rule.

Answer 2

I contacted the German embassy in Houston TX in April 2017 with this question because my passport would have expired 5.5 months after my visit. The reply was unequivocal: six months. "The passport has to be valid 6 months. Exceptions are made, but that is up to border patrol and we cannot guarantee anything." I chose to err on the side of caution and renew my passport before I had planned to.

Answer 3

The official information is that the US passport must be valid for three months beyond the period of your intended stay (three months after you leave).

Whether this is actively enforced or not in practise, I do not know. Erring on the safe side of course you should assume it will be enforced.

Information as of  08JAN16 / 1820 UTC
National USA (US)               /Embarkation USA (US)
Destination Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)

Passport required.
- Passports and other documents accepted for entry must be
valid for a minimum of 3 months beyond the period of
intended stay.
Passport Exemptions:
- Nationals of USA with an emergency passport.

Visa required, except for Nationals of USA for a maximum stay
of 90 days. (SEE NOTE 53546)
NOTE 53546: The max. stay is granted within 180 days.
Minors:
- Minors aged up to/incl. 15 years of age may be included in
the passport of a parent or guardian, provided

Additional Information:
- Valid visas in full or expired travel documents are accepted

- Nationals of USA with normal passports can extend their stay
in Germany by changing their status and applying for a
Residence Permit.
- Visitors are required to hold proof of sufficient funds to
cover their stay and documents required for their next
destination.
Warning:
- Passports must be signed by the holder. Passports without

- Passports and/or passport replacing documents issued more
than 10 years prior to date of travel are not accepted.

Germany (DE)

Vaccinations not required.

- ICAO: NON-MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS
DEADLINE: 24 NOVEMBER 2015