The Money Saving Expert urged Brits to check their passports before going on holiday this summer as they could be turned away at the airport
Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning to Brits jetting off on their summer holidays to double-check two vital passport details. The Money Saving Expert recently featured on This Morning to outline the “essential” checks travellers must carry out before departure – as failing to do so could see you refused boarding at the gate, reports the Express.
Martin stressed that holidaymakers need to scrutinise their passport’s expiry dates, particularly focusing on its validity when you touch down in your destination country. Initially, Martin advised people to verify they have six months remaining on their passports, or three months if they’re bound for European Union nations.
He cautioned: “If you have less than six months left, you might still be okay, but then you need to go and check the individual countries requirements.”
The second verification is the “one that catches people out”, Martin revealed. He mentioned frequently receiving correspondence from members of the public who claim they’ve been refused entry onto aircraft or rejected at immigration control.
He said: “Is your passport under ten years old? So you could have more than six months left, but your passport be ten years old and you can get turned back.”
The Post Office highlighted that a passport’s validity is equally crucial and fundamental as securing travel insurance or obtaining the correct foreign currency for your getaway. UK passports issued after 2018 remain valid for precisely ten years.
But if your passport was issued before September 2018, it might be valid for up to ten years and nine months. This is because, before 2018, the passport office would add up to nine extra months from your old passport to your new one.
The Post Office explained that this means some people have passports that haven’t officially expired and are still valid for travel worldwide. However, the exception is travel in Europe, where passports must be less than ten years old.
Martin urged people to check how old their passport is, not just how long is left on its validity. He said: “If your passport is more than ten years old on the day you arrive, you can be turned back for that as well. And it happens”.
To travel to Europe and Schengen countries, your passport must be issued less than ten years before your departure date for your holiday, and it must be valid for at least three months after your scheduled return.
There are also a number of countries which don’t require six months of passport validity, including Albania, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
You can check if your passport is valid or will be valid for your trip by visiting Gov.UK. You will be able to search for the country you’re visiting and its entry requirements.
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