Passport validity: how many months each popular destination wants from Indians

In short: There is no single rule. Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE, Kenya, the Philippines and Timor-Leste want 6 months; the Maldives asks only 1 month; Georgia, New Zealand and Panama ask 3 months; and Turkey and Serbia count from the day your stay ends, not from entry. Check your passport's expiry date against the date you will leave, not the date you leave home.

6 months

• Singapore: passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry (ICA, India visa guideline).
• Malaysia: at least six months' validity, with a confirmed return ticket and hotel booking (High Commission of Malaysia, New Delhi).
• UAE: at least six months for the tourist visa (GDRFA Dubai).
• Kenya: minimum 6 months' validity with at least one blank page (Kenya eTA).
• Canada: valid for at least 6 months from the date you plan to travel (IRCC).
• Philippines: valid at least six months beyond the contemplated stay, for visa-free entry.
• Timor-Leste: at least 6 months at entry.
• Brunei: at least six months past your intended date of entry.
• Bangladesh: at least 6 months for the visa application.

3 months

• Georgia: valid at least three months after the validity of the visa you request.
• New Zealand: valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave.
• Panama: at least 3 months' validity, with proof of funds and an onward booking.

Counted from the day you leave or your stay ends

• Serbia: valid at least 90 days beyond your departure, with two blank pages, issued within the last 10 years.
• Turkey: at least 60 days beyond the duration of your stay; the foreign ministry also advises at least 6 months from arrival.
• Mauritius: valid beyond the intended period of stay.
• Russia: at least 6 months from the date of submitting the e-Visa application, and machine-readable.
• Kyrgyzstan: at least 6 months after the validity of the requested visa, with at least two free pages.

Just 1 month

• Maldives: a machine-readable passport with at least 1 month's validity. Passports with an extended validity are not accepted.

Common traps (our advice)

1. Counting from the wrong date. Rules that count from your departure (Serbia, Turkey) need a later expiry than rules that count from entry. Work out the date you will leave, then add the months.
2. Blank pages. Kenya, Kyrgyzstan and Serbia mention free or blank pages. Check yours.
3. Visa and passport together. If your passport expires soon, renew before applying: the visa is tied to the passport it was issued on.
4. Machine-readable only. Passports with extended validity are not accepted by the Maldives. Check yours if it was extended.

What we could not confirm

• Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal: the official pages we read do not state a passport-validity rule for Indians. Carry at least six months as a safe habit and ask your airline.
• Rules differ by embassy and can change. Confirm with the embassy you apply to.

How we checked this

We read the government or embassy page for each country on 10 and 11 November 2026. The wording above follows those pages. See each country's sources in our visa guide.