‘Most important’ passport control Britons are urged to follow since Brexit rule change

Brits are urged to use the information on their own passports before going on holiday after the confusion has since caused problems for some holidaymakers Brexit rules came into effect. Recently a mother named Shirelle was refused to travel to Spain from Newcastle Airport because her passport was not valid under the 10-year rule.

As Spain is one of the 26 countries that are part of the Schengen area of ​​free movement, passports must have been issued within the last 10 years from the date of arrival in the European Union (EU) and must be valid for at least three months from the date of return. This rule came into effect when the UK left the EU.

utilities, ABTAthe tour company, is urging Britons to check that their passports meet a list of specific requirements before booking their holiday.

The experts warned that “one of the most important things to check is whether your passport is valid for your travel dates”.

Essential Passport Checks Before Traveling

Make sure your passport is valid

ATA said: “You can check the validity of your passport by looking at both the date of issue and the expiry date.

“Countries require you to have a minimum amount of time on your passport.

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“How much time you need on your passport depends on the country you’re visiting, although it’s often between three and six months.”

If you are a UK passport holder, you can check the passport rules for the country you are traveling to on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website.

Information about the validity of the passport can be found in the entry requirements for the country you are visiting.

ABTA added: “If you are not a UK passport holder, you should contact the embassy of the country you are traveling to.”

Rules for travel to Europe after Brexit

Since the UK left the EU, some new travel requirements have come into effect.

ABTA has clarified what this means for British passport holders. They said: “Your passport cannot be older than 10 years when you enter the country, so check when your passport is issued and when it expires.

“In most places in Europe you must have at least three months in your passport on the date of departure from your destination. Consult the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the passport rules for your destination.”

When checking your passport, you should look at both the date of issue and the expiry date. If you prematurely renew your current passport, additional months may have been added to the expiration date and this may affect the requirement that your passport must be less than 10 years old.

The only exception is for those traveling to Ireland where you can continue to use your passport as long as it is valid for the duration of your stay.

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Leave enough time when you renew your passport

ABTA warned: “Hare Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) is currently advising that applications can take up to 10 weeks to process when applying from the UK, so make sure you apply on time.”

Britons should also ensure that their old passport is sent in immediately to speed up the application process.

If you urgently need a new adult or children’s passport, you can use the 1-week Fast Track service.