Many countries in the EU and the rest of the world have strict entry requirements, many of which are related to the dates on your passport – here are two essential checks to make
Holidaymakers could stand to lose thousands of pounds and even miss out on their holiday if they neglect to perform crucial checks on their passport.
Numerous countries in the EU and beyond enforce stringent entry requirements, many of which are tied to the dates on your passport. In the UK, a standard adult passport is valid for 10 years, while child passports for anyone under 16 are only valid for five years.
There are no automatic renewals or reminders for when your passport is due to expire, so it’s always the responsibility of the traveller to ensure their passport meets the necessary requirements for entry into their chosen country when booking their holiday.
Six-month date on passport
It’s generally recommended that British passports have at least six months remaining until their expiry date before travelling abroad. However, some countries may have more lenient rules, particularly within the EU.
For instance, Spain only requires travellers to have an expiry date at least three months after the day they plan to depart the Schengen area.
10-year expiry limit
Moreover, many holidaymakers should consider renewing their passports if they have less than three months until their expiry date, or if the passport is 10 years old or more from the day it was first issued. However, it’s crucial to allow ample time for passport renewal as the process can take several weeks, particularly with the expected increase in people jetting off abroad during the summer.
For those in need of a quick passport renewal, a fast-track application is available, though this comes with an extra fee.
Potential of losing thousands of pounds
If you’ve splashed out thousands of pounds on your holiday that you can’t actually enjoy because you neglected essential passport checks, you may find that you will be unable to recoup the cash. If you’ve taken out travel insurance, the insurance provider will not typically reimburse you for the costs of an emergency passport or the cost of a missed flight.
If you are unsure whether your passport is valid for a holiday you plan on going on this summer, you can use the Post Office’s passport validity checker for a wide array of popular travel destination.