Your Passport: Three Checks Before Applying
Half of visa refusals and delays trace back to the passport. Three checks before applying: validity (6 months for short visas, 18 for one-year D-visas), blank pages (at least 4 for long visas), and the chip — without biometrics the autogate will not open.
Updated: 22 August 2026 · Verified by the Malina Visa team
Validity by visa type
Pages and scan quality
Long visas require at least 4 blank pages. The photo-page scan must be complete, uncropped, with no fingers or objects in frame: applications with poor scans get bounced, costing you days. Shoot the spread in daylight on a contrasting background — that is enough.
The chip decides at the border
A biometric (chip) passport opens the autogate — the border in 15–25 seconds. A chipless passport means the officer queue, whatever the visa. Planning a passport renewal — remember the visa is tied to the document number: schedule the swap between visas, not mid-term.
FAQ
My passport has 5 months left — will I get an eVOA?
The requirement is 6+ months at entry; with less, refusal risk is high. New passport first.
What happens to my visa when I renew the passport?
The visa is tied to the passport number — a renewal means transferring/reissuing the status. Plan ahead; we will guide you.
Does a child need their own passport?
Yes, every traveller, children included, needs their own passport and their own visa.