Thinking of traveling? Check your passport!

Different countries have their own rules about passport validity. Since Brexit, British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU. This means you need to look at the date the passport was issued, as well as the date it expires.

If your passport was issued before September 2018, it could be valid for up to 10 years and nine months, as extra time could have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to roll over). Passports issued after 2018 are valid for a maximum period of exactly 10 years and so there is no problem.

Holidaymakers travelling to the EU have been caught out by the "passport 10-year rule" and have been turned away at the airport because their passports are not valid for EU travel or been denied entry when they have landed.

Travel rules

These are the current rules for British passport holders travelling to the EU and Schengen zone. Your passport must:

• Have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”).
• Have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area.

You can travel without a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the following apply: 

• you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period, OR
• you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons.

Passport renewal

It should take up to three weeks to renew a passport in the UK. It may take longer than 3 weeks if they need more information, or they need to interview you. It may also take longer during periods of high demand, such as before school holidays. If you’re planning on traveling this year, it’s a good idea to check your passport now!