Changes put in place by the European Union could send you scurrying to the passport office.

It won’t make a difference if you’re off to Katmandu, but your trip to Europe could be nixed if you don’t have everything in order.

“Anyone travelling to France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium need to make sure that their passports are valid for at least three months beyond the date that they’re scheduled to return,” explains a travel agent.

“What happens is the airlines are now going to be checking before you actually depart. If it’s not caught then, it’ll be caught once you land in those countries and they may or may not let you through,” she says.
There may be a little leeway in the first few days, but you shouldn’t bet on it. Most good travel agents will let you know about the policy but there’s no guarantee and, in the end, you’re responsible.

The rule is already in effect for travellers heading to Portugal, Greece and the Netherlands.