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When you need to renew a passport to travel to Europe

• Wednesday 27 March 2024 at 12:10pm

Since Brexit , passport rules for UK visitors to the European Union (EU) have tightened up.

But many people may not be aware of the finer print, and some families are finding themselves thousands of pounds out of pocket when they have been banned from boarding flights due to the rule changes.

So what exactly are the rules for British travellers to the EU, and how can you avoid a passport disaster if you're jetting off for the Easter holidays?

How have the rules changed?

When the UK was a member of the EU, British passports remained valid up to and including their expiry date for travel to other EU countries.

But post-Brexit, British passport holders wishing to travel to EU countries in the Schengen Area are treated as non-EU nationals. This includes popular tourism destinations such as Portugal and Greece.

As such, they must meet two key requirements, as outlined on the EU's Your Europe website . If you are a non-EU national wishing to visit or travel within the EU, you will need a passport:

which is valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU country you are visiting;

which was issued within the previous 10 years.

This means you should really be looking at the date of issue when checking if you need to renew, as well as the expiry date.

It may appear that your passport is within date, but if it hasn't been issued in the past 10 years you could be stopped from boarding your plane or ferry.

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According to the government's website, for some Schengen countries, once the three-months-remaining rule is taken into account, a passport needs to have been issued no more than nine years and nine months ago.

What is the Schengen Area?

The border-free Schengen Area is made up of 27 countries and guarantees free movement to more than 400 million EU citizens, along with non-EU nationals living in the EU or visiting the EU as tourists.

It is comprised of most EU countries, except for Croatia, Cyprus, and Ireland. Bulgaria and Romania will be part of the Schengen Area as of March 31 2024. The non-EU countries Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also part of the area.

Aren't all passports only valid for 10 years?

Until September 2018, the UK had a policy that meant you could claim credit on 'unspent' time when renewing your passport, so you could be issued with a passport that was valid for up to 10 years and nine months.

People who took advantage of this policy could now find themselves caught out.

Do the rules affect children's passports?

Passports for under-16s are usually valid for five years, so there should be no chance of breaching the 10-year rule.

But be careful of the three-months-remaining rule, which states your passport must be valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave the country. Children's passports are more likely to get caught out by this rule as their passports don't last as long.

Am I covered if I get caught out?

Unfortunately, if you don't make sure your passport will be accepted before you travel, you are unlikely to get back any money you lose.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, told ITV News: “There has been confusion over guidance for travel to the EU. Passports must be issued within 10 years of entry into your destination country and remain in date for at least three months after the day you plan to return to the UK.

“It is essential to ensure your passport is valid when you are due to travel and return home. Otherwise you risk losing the money for your flight or holiday as your provider will not refund you, and insurance will not cover you for the error.”

Do the rules apply anywhere else in the world?

These rules are specific to Schengen Area countries. If you are travelling to the rest of the world you should check the individual rules for entering those countries on the government website .

When should I renew my passport?

To be on the safe side, it's best to apply to renew your passport before it is nine years and nine months old.

You should allow up to 10 weeks to receive your passport, so you should apply for it at least 10 weeks before you're due to travel. The Passport Office say people usually get their passports within three weeks.

You can apply online (£82.50) or by post with a paper form (£93). Passport costs are set to increase by more than 7% in April, the Home Office announced this month.

If you need a passport urgently, you can pay more for the fast track service . The one-week service costs £155 for an adult passport and £126 for a child passport, while the one-day premium service costs £193.50, or £204.50 for a 54-page frequent traveller passport.

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Everything you need to know about travel to Europe after Brexit

Do you need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit? Here’s how the rules are looking in 2024

Way back in 2020, the UK left the EU and Brexit took effect. Since then, a hell of a lot has changed about how we travel. There’s now plenty of extra stuff to think about when planning a trip overseas to Europe (especially if it’s for longer periods). So, we ’ve rounded up all the changes to the rules that we’ll have to follow, now that we’re no longer EU citizens. Here is everything you need to know.

RECOMMENDED: 🌤️The best city breaks in Europe for 2024 🏩The best hotels in Europe 🚄The best European sleeper trains launching in 2024 🏂The best affordable ski resorts in Europe

You should probably check your passport

Up until January 2021, all UK citizens with a valid passport were able to travel freely throughout Europe. Now, though, you may need to renew your passport much earlier than you might think. On the day you travel, your passport must have at least six months left before it expires, or you might not be able to travel to any EU countries, or the EEA states of Iceland , Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland . (The old rules still apply for travel to Ireland.)

You can check if you need to renew your passport before travelling using this tool from the British government, and you can apply for a new one here . Make sure you renew it at least a couple of months before you’re planning to travel, as it may take several weeks to process applications in busy times (including right now).

You can no longer apply for an EHIC

Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will remain valid until its expiry date, but you can no longer apply for a new one. In 2021, the UK government launched a replacement scheme, the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) , which will entitle you to necessary state healthcare for free or at reduced cost in Europe and other countries with reciprocal arrangements such as Australia and New Zealand . You can apply for one on the official GHIC website .

Free mobile roaming is a thing of the past

The guarantee of free mobile roaming throughout the EU, the Schengen area and the Norway, Iceland and Liechenstein, came to an end on December 31, 2020. It ’s best to c heck with your phone operator to find out about any charges you may incur in the country you’re travelling to.

Border checks may feel a little different

At border control, you will now need to use separate lanes from EU citizens when queuing. Officials may also be more inquisitive than before, asking you to provide a return or onward ticket and prove that you have enough money for the length of your initial stay.

Your driving licence will still be valid – but you’ll need a ‘green card’ proving you have insurance too

Despite reports British drivers would soon have to apply for an ‘international driving permit’ before travelling to the Continent, according to the terms of the Brexit deal, UK licences will still be valid within the EU.

According to this advice by the Foreign Office , you do not need a ‘green card’ (proving you have car insurance cover when driving abroad) when driving in the EU. However, countries where they do apply include Albania, Azerbijan, Moldova, Türkiye and Ukraine. 

Visas are now required for longer stays

If you’re a tourist, you won’t need a visa for short trips to most EU and EEA countries. You will be able to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. To stay for longer than 90 days, or if you ’re working,  you will have to get a visa or travel permit.

The EU has set up this short-term stay visa calculator to help travellers calculate how much longer they can stay in Europe. Visit the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s ‘travel advice’ pages  to find out the application process for each country.

The rules for Bulgaria, Croatia , Cyprus and Romania will be different (this is because they aren ’t in the Schengen area ): visits to those four countries will not count towards the 90-day total. 

These arrangements are up to date as of January 2024. They may change, so check back soon for the latest updates on travel to Europe.

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How long do I need on a UK passport to travel to Europe? Post-Brexit rules and entry requirements explained

What you need to know about your passport's issue and expiry date when travelling to the eu.

Tens of thousands of UK travellers have faced delays in applications for a new passport this summer. Meanwhile, stricter passport requirements for travel to the European Union have applied since the UK became a third country after Brexit.

In fact, passport requirements for entry to the EU is the most common topic among the questions sent to us by i Travel readers. Confusion was inevitable when some travel providers gave incorrect advice on passport validity.

The most common misconception is that the EU has a six-month rule for UK passport expiry dates. No such rule exists for entry to, or exit from, the Bloc.

Additionally, some UK passports have extra time added as the passport holder renewed the document before it expired. There has been uncertainty among travellers as to whether this additional time can be used when visiting EU countries.

The rules post- Brexit mean that your UK passport must be issued within the last 10 years for entry to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City. UK passport holders can travel to Ireland in the same way as they did before Brexit.

The passport rules for travel to EU or Schengen Area countries

If you are planning a trip to a country within the EU or the Schengen Area, you should keep note of the following rules. Your passport must be:

• issued within the 10 years before the date you enter the country
• valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. 

The two conditions are independent of one another. For example, if your passport was issued on 30 September 2012, but has an expiry date of 30 December 2022, and you planned to take a week-long break to Spain on 23 September 2022, you would meet the EU’s rules.

It does not matter, according to the rules, that when you leave the EU the issue date of your passport will be more than 10 years ago.

Are travel companies following the rules correctly?

Most major travel providers are now providing the correct advice on passport validity for travel to the EU.

It is still possible that an operator or airline could ask that you have six months on your passport for travel to a country within the EU or the Schengen Area.

If you think an operator has incorrectly interpreted the EU rules and turned you away from the airport, you could claim compensation, if you can prove this to be the case.

Are there any other rules?

Yes, as UK passport holders are considered third country nationals following Brexit, they can no longer stay in the EU for an unlimited period. Instead, UK travellers can remain in the EU or the Schengen area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

Your passport should be stamped on entry and exit from an EU or Schengen Area country. The stamps are used to check you are complying with the 90/180 day rule.

More from Travel

What else should I know?

At some point in 2023 – expected to be May – passport stamping will be replaced by the Entry/Exit System (EES) .

This automated IT system will register travellers from third countries each time they cross an EU external border.

The system will register the person’s name, the type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images), and the date and place of entry and exit

Additionally, in November 2023, the EU is set to launch Etias for all non-EU visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen Area. Since Brexit, this will include UK passport holders.

Travellers will need to apply through the Etias system (similar to the US Esta) and an Etias will be valid for three years.

There will be a €7 (£6) charge for applicants aged 18–70. People aged under 18 or over 70 will still need to apply but will not have to pay a fee.

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Simon Calder travel advice: When to renew your passport before visiting Europe

Since Brexit , the rules on passport validity for British visitors to the European Union have tightened.

Gone are the days when you could travel to the EU at any point before your travel document expired; the UK is now a “third country”, with rules to match.

Added confusion has come in the form of the UK’s own HM Passport Office, which has continued to give out incorrect information regarding child passport expiry dates .

These are the key questions and answers based on EU rules.

What’s changed?

While the UK was in the European Union, British passports were valid up to and including their expiry date for travel within the EU. But since the end of the Brexit transition phase, British passport holders are treated as “third country nationals” with stipulations about passport issue and expiry dates – together with limits on the length of stay almost everywhere in Europe.

For the avoidance of doubt, these are not “new EU rules” – they were decided while the UK was in the European Union.

What is required for my passport to be valid?

The requirements for the Schengen Area – comprising most EU countries plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and a handful of micro-states – are crisply expressed on the Travel page of the European Union’s Your Europe site : “If you are a non-EU national wishing to visit or travel within the EU, you will need a passport:

• valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU country you are visiting,
• which was issued within the previous 10 years.”

(All children’s passports meet this latter condition – see below.)

For the avoidance of doubt, there is no problem travelling to Europe with a passport issued for over 10 years, so long as it is under 10 years old on the date of departure to the EU and will have three months remaining on the date of return.

Why the line about ‘issued within the previous 10 years’?

For many years, until September 2018, the UK had a generous policy of allowing credit for “unspent” time when renewing a passport, issuing documents valid for up to 10 years and nine months.

So a passport issued on 31 October 2012 could show an expiry date of 31 July 2023.

This was fine around Europe and the world for decade – until Brexit, whereupon a longstanding rule kicked in. For non-members of the EU hoping to enter the Schengen Area, a passport must have been issued in the past 10 years.

With a passport issued on 31 October 2012, regardless of the expiry date, you’re not allowed to enter the EU post-1 November 2022.

Until September 2018 the government appeared unaware of the problem. Once the issue was identified, the practice of giving up to nine months’ grace ended abruptly.

Are the “issued less than 10 years ago” and “valid for three months” rules combined?

No. There is no need to have a passport issued less than nine years, nine months ago. The two conditions are independent of one another.

The Migration and Home Affairs Department of the European Commission in Brussels told me: “Entry should be allowed to those travelling with passports issued within the previous 10 years at the moment of entry into the Schengen area.

“The condition that the passport must have been issued within the previous 10 years does not extend for the duration of the intended stay. It is enough if this condition is fulfilled at the moment of entry.

“To give a practical example, a non-EU traveller arriving on 1 December 2021 for a 20-days stay in the EU with a passport issued on 2 December 2011 and valid until 2 April 2022 will be allowed entry.”

If I get wrongly turned away, what are my rights?

For flights: you can claim denied boarding compensation (either £220 or £350, depending on the length of the flight) and associated costs – for example, booking another flight on a rival airline, or for wasted car rental and hotel expenses that cannot be reclaimed.

I’ve just read a report saying I need six months remaining for Europe?

Some news outlets, regrettably, continue to publish incorrect information. Ignore it.

Does that 10-year-plus rule apply anywhere else in the world?

No as far as I am aware. The concern around the date of issue is relevant only for travel to the European Union – not for the rest of the world.

For destinations outside EU, the only significant consideration is the expiry date. And for destinations such as Australia, the US and Canada, your passport is valid up to and including this date.

So with that passport expiring on 31 July 2023, you could be in New York until that very day (though you would need to get a daytime flight back to avoid your passport running out en route.

Read the Independent ’s guide to how many months you need left on your passport to travel worldwide

What about children?

Passports for under-16s are typically valid for five years (plus any extra credit). A child’s passport issued for five years and nine months is clearly within the 10-year limit, and there is no possibility of breaching that condition.

(During 2021, the Home Office’s defective passport checker stripped all extra credit, which was both wrong and unhelpful. The online checker has now been switched off.)

But beware of the three-months-remaining-on-exit rule, which children are more likely to fall foul of because of the shorter duration of their passports.

What about this 90/180 day rule?

For trips to the Schengen area (most EU nations plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and some small countries) British passport holders can stay a maximum of 90 days in any 180. That’s roughly three months in six.

it is tricky to explain, but I shall do my best. Imagine a calendar that stretches back almost six months from today. What happened more than 180 days ago is irrelevant. What counts is the number of days you were either inside (I) or outside (O) the Schengen Area in the past 180 days.

You can easily keep count on a calendar yourself, either printed or digital.

If “I” hits 90, you must leave that day and stay out for almost three months, to accumulate 90 “Os” in a row. Then you can go back in, for a maximum of 90 days.

During the course of a calendar year, it could work like this (assuming no travel to the EU in the previous six months).

• 1 January: enter the EU and stay for 90 days until the last day of March, when you must leave.
• 1 April: remain outside for 90 days, which takes you to 29 June.
• 30 June: enter the EU and stay for 90 days, until 27 September. Then leave.
• 28 September: remain outside the EU until 26 December.

For longer stays, some countries offer visas that allow British citizens to remain for months on end. If you get one of these, then the time spent in that country does not count towards the “90/180” rule – in other words, you can explore other EU countries with a fresh calendar.

What about non-Schengen EU members?

For British visitors to Ireland , there are no limits on passport validity. Indeed, a passport is not legally mandatory for British travellers to the republic, though some airlines insist on it.

Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania have identical rules to the Schengen Area: passport issued in the past 10 years, and with three months validity remaining on the day of leaving the country. But time spent in any of these nations does not contribute to the “90/180” day total.

Help! My passport is full of stamps and I have no space left. Will I be turned away?

No, even though Eurostar warns British passport holders : “Check that you have a clear page in your passport as it will need to be stamped with your travel date when you’re travelling to and from the EU.”

The EU’s Practical Handbook for Border Guards is explicit about a “document enabling a third-country national to cross the border [that] is no longer suitable for affixing a stamp, as there are no longer available pages”.

It says: “In such a case, the third-country national should be recommended to apply for a new passport, so that stamps can continue to be affixed there in the future.

“However, as an exception – and particularly in the case of regular cross-border commuters – a separate sheet can be used, to which further stamps can be affixed. The sheet must be given to the third-country national.

“In any case, the lack of empty pages in a passport is not, in itself, a valid and sufficient ground to refuse the entry of a person.”

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How many months do I need left on my UK passport before I travel?

Many countries across the world require you to have a few months left on your passport at the time of travel – here are the main holiday destinations to watch out for, article bookmarked.

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You might think that you can just hop on a plane with an in-date passport and travel the world. In fact, many countries demand that visitors have months left on their passport before it expires.

Some – including Australia , Canada and the US – only require your travel document to be in date for the duration of your trip.

But others give a more restrictive time frame, with no real pattern from region to region – while most of Asia requires six months on your passport, for example, different Caribbean islands demand different time frames.

In some destinations, you can also be caught out for not having enough space left in your passport for new immigration stamps.

Here are the key passport validity rules for British passports for the world’s top holiday destinations.

• Barred from Europe: 2.4m Brits caught in post-Brexit passport chaos
• When do I need to renew my passport for travel to Europe?
• This is the best time to renew your passport to save money

Valid for the duration of your stay

These countries only ask that your passport is valid until the day you leave the country.

*While this is technically the rule for Canada, if you have six months or less on your passport, it may take longer for you to get through immigration.

Valid for one day

Costa Rica requires Britons to have one day’s validity from the day of their departure.

Valid for three months

All EU countries, plus those in the Schengen Area (excluding Ireland) require you to have three months left on your passport from the day you plan to leave. Your passport must also be less than 10 years old on the day you enter the country. This is true for the following countries:

• Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Vatican City

These non-European countries also require three months’ validity on your day of departure:

• British Virgin Islands
• French Polynesia
• New Zealand
• South Korea

Valid for six months

In most cases, this means valid for six months from the date you arrive in the country, but it’s worth checking the Foreign Office’s individual entry requirements for the country you’re visiting to make sure.

• Antigua and Barbuda
• The Bahamas
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador (& Galapagos Islands)
• Madagascar*
• Philippines
• South Africa*
• United Arab Emirates

*South Africa, Madagascar, Kenya also require you to have two blank pages left in your passport; Namibia requires one blank page.

Valid for 180 days

India requires a more specific 180 days of validity from the date you arrive. It also asks visitors to have two blank pages available for their visa.

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UK Passport: When Travelling to Europe

British holidaymakers no longer need to show proof of full vaccination or a negative test to visit most of the EU but those planning to travel to the EU should always check their passport validity before heading to the airport.

With so many stories of holidaymakers being turned away from airports due to passport concerns, here is what holidaymakers need to know about their passports.

Related articles:

• EU Proposes To Digital Schengen Visa Process
• UK Holidaymakers: What You Need To Know When Travelling To Spain in 2022
• Travel Chaos: Strikes Likely to Disrupt Holiday Plans
• London’s Heathrow Caps Number Passengers to Ease Disruptions
• Venice Introduces Tourist Entry Fee
• Contactless Digital Border: Electronic Travel Authorisation to Enter the UK

What UK Passport Holders Should Know

Before Brexit, British holidaymakers could travel up to and including the expiry date on their passports. But after Brexit, EU regulations now classify UK citizens as ‘third country nationals,’ meaning the rules have changed.

Holidaymakers might assume that their passport is valid up to the expiry date. But this isn’t always the case.

British passport holders should ensure they pass the following criteria before planning their trip to the EU

• passport issued within the previous 10 years.
• passport is valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave the EU country you are visiting 

These requirements apply to the whole Schengen area, which includes most EU countries plus Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland.

Though British citizens can enter the Schengen area with three months of validity on their passports, the UK government recommends that they have six months of validity.

UK Passport Renewal

UK passport is edging close to the expiry date and should be renewed to avoid the risk of being turned away from the airport.

The UK Home office estimates that it currently takes roughly 10 weeks to get a new passport.

However, unprecedented demand and huge backlogs mean even longer wait times. For those planning a trip outside the UK, they need to ensure their passport is valid for travel.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Talk to us in the comment section below.

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Why UK passport holders need to check the issue date of their passports before travelling to the EU

By Jenny Southan

Did you know that the expiry date on burgundy British passports might be meaningless when travelling to EU countries (except Ireland ) or Schengen zone countries such as Switzerland , Norway and Iceland ? This is because since Brexit, British passports cannot be more than 10 years old when used to travel to the EU – which means you need to look at the date the passport was issued , rather than the date it expires. Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, but if your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over).

In spite of being a travel journalist, I was caught out by this sneaky rule on a recent trip to France (you can read more on the FCO’s website ). It was ironic because I was aware of it, and then forgot about it. I had completed a trip to the US just the previous week and hadn’t thought twice about a trip to France with my daughter for the Easter holidays because I still have seven months left on my passport – it expires in November 2023 (you need a minimum of three months to travel to the EU). So I checked in online with Easyjet – uploading my passport details as requested – travelled to London Gatwick with my four year old, had our passports checked before dropping off our suitcase , and then proceeded through security.

A couple of hours later we were queuing to board the plane, but when it came to our turn a member of Easyjet staff scanned my passport and it flashed up as “amber” on her screen. She sternly proceeded to tell me that my passport had expired and we wouldn’t be allowed to board. My daughter started crying and begging to be allowed to see her grandparents whom we were supposed to be visiting. The Easyjet representative was unsympathetic – insisting there was no way we could travel and telling me to step away from the gate. I was shocked – it felt like an arbitrary rule. She wouldn’t even acknowledge that it was confusing for flyers and accepted no responsibility on behalf of the airline for not flagging it during the booking or check-in process.

We then had to wait two hours for our suitcase to be returned while they off-loaded it from the plane. Obviously, it’s my own fault – the rule has been in place since January 2021. But I wanted to share my experience because if I can make this mistake, then other people will do so too. And it’s a costly one – flights lost, hotel lost, holiday lost.

To make matters worse, this happened last week – during the first week of the five-week-long HM Passport Office strikes . What this meant was that I was not able to get a new passport quickly enough to travel during the Easter break (I would have booked new flights if I could). Normally you can pay £193.50 to apply for an Online Premium passport that can be collected in two days, or a Fast Track one that takes a week. When I returned home I attempted to get an appointment for an Online Premium premium passport but it took me two days to secure a slot (every time I clicked it said there were no available appointments – same for Fast Track).

After many dozens of attempts, I finally managed to proceed with the application on 6 April, but the soonest appointment I could get was 25 April and I would have to fly to the passport office in Belfast to collect it (I live in London). There were no slots in England available. As I have a business trip to Berlin at the beginning of May , I went ahead with this – paying £250 for flights to Belfast plus another £100 for a hotel. I then realised my daughters’ passport expires in September 2023 and if we wanted to go on holiday abroad this summer , I would need to get one for her too (you can’t use Online Premium for kids – and it costs £126 Fast Track). So far, there are no appointments available.

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

• Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the “date of issue”)
• Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave
• You do not need 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

Visiting Europe from January 2024: A guide for British travellers

European countries like Spain, Italy, and France are ever-popular destinations for British holidaymakers.

The rules for travelling between the UK and Europe have changed in the past few years and it is important to keep this in mind.

Since Brexit, Brits no longer enjoy freedom of movement in the EU. This means that things have changed for UK passport holders visiting Europe as a tourist and for EU citizens visiting the UK .

This article looks at the rules UK travellers need to follow to visit European countries. It covers the following information:

• Whether British citizens will need visas before travelling to a European destination
• What British travellers should do to ensure their passport is valid
• What will change when arriving in Europe
• How UK visitors’ travel insurance requirements will change
• What mobile phone roaming charges could apply
• How pets will be able to travel with their owners to Europe

Do British tourists need a visa to visit Europe?

British tourists can still visit Europe without a visa. UK citizens are permitted visa exemption for short trips of under 90 days for tourism or business within the Schengen zone.

However, in the near future, UK passport holders will need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver online and pay a small fee before travelling to the Schengen Area.

The UK Government is aiming to introduce a similar scheme for European visitors to Britain. The UK ETA visa waiver is now available to visitors from certain countries. It is expected to be made compulsory for all EU nationals.

For longer stays or to work full-time in Europe, British citizens must acquire a work permit or Schengen visa from the country they wish to live in. They need to apply at the embassy of the country in question.

Are British passports be valid on a trip to Europe in 2024?

Yes, you can still use a British passport to travel to European countries.

When travelling to the EU, you must make sure your passport meets the following requirements :

• Valid for 6+ months after the date of arrival in the EU
• Issued less than 10 years ago

Before travelling to the European Union or Schengen Area, British travellers may find new passport restrictions apply . These are minor in nature but could affect a person’s ability to enter an EU country.

First of all, UK visitors to Europe must make sure their passport has over 6 months of validity remaining from their date of entry into the EU. In practice, this means that no more than 9 years and 6 months must have passed since the passport’s date of issue.

Under European regulations, a passport must not be over 10 years old . Any travel documents older than this will automatically be considered invalid, even if it is still within its expiry date.

This situation could occur because the British passport office usually adds extra time to the validity of a passport if it is renewed early. These extra days of validity, however, would not be accepted in the EU, where the cut-off is 10 years from the date of issue .

If this situation applies to you, you may need to renew your passport earlier than expected before a European holiday. This must be done before 9 years and 6 months have passed since the document’s date of issue to travel to an EU country.

For example, if a passport was issued on the 1st December 2011, it will no longer be accepted at an EU or Schengen port of entry from 1st June 2021. This rule is applied even if the document hasn’t expired or has over 6 months left to run.

What new procedures do British tourists face when arriving in Europe?

One change that British tourists face when arriving in a European destination is that they may no longer be able to use the dedicated queue for EU and Swiss passengers . Instead, they will need to join the international queue.

Additionally, UK tourists may be required to provide evidence that they are only travelling to the EU for tourism or business. This may include return tickets to the UK and proof of sufficient funds for the duration of their trip.

Will British tourists need travel insurance in the EU?

A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can be used until it expires . The EHIC entitles the holder to state medical treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

After the card expires, the new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) will replace it. UK travellers are still advised to take out health insurance.

Will British tourists have to pay mobile phone roaming charges?

Mobile phone roaming charges have made a return for some British tourists . The requirement that operators must waive roaming costs no longer apply to UK mobile networks.

However, the reintroduction of extra mobile charges when travelling abroad in Europe are at the discretion of mobile network operators . Therefore, tourists are advised to check before arriving in the EU whether these additional costs apply to them or not.

Are UK Driving licences still valid in Europe?

It will still be possible to use a UK driving licence in Europe, as long as your licence is a card issued in the UK itself.

You will need an international driving permit (IDP) if your licence is:

• A paper driving licence
• From Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands

Additionally, UK citizens driving their car from Britain to Europe may also need to follow additional steps . When travelling to the EU by car, UK passport holders should ensure to have proof of insurance and to display a “GB” nationality sticker on their vehicle.

Can British tourists still bring their pets to Europe?

Yes, British tourists can still travel with pets such as cats, dogs or ferrets. However, travellers will face additional safety measures to do so.

Pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid to travel to an EU country or Northern Island.

Pets need to be microchipped, receive a rabies vaccination a few weeks before travel, and may need to hold an animal health certificate (AHC). AHCs will need to be renewed for each trip the animal makes to Europe.

With so many changes, it’s especially important to be prepared when travelling to a European country from the UK.

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UK Passport checker – How to Check if Your UK Passport is Valid for Travel to the EU

Last Updated on March 27, 2024 by MyBritishPassport

UK passport checker: Are you wondering if your UK passport is valid for travel to the EU? Wonder no more! In this blog post, we will show you how to check the validity of your UK passport quickly and easily.

MyBritishPassport will also provide some tips on what to do if it is not valid. So don’t wait any longer – read on to find out everything you need to know about UK passports and travel to the EU!

Need to renew your British Passport? CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE.

Travel to the EU after Brexit

The EU has agreed to include the United Kingdom on the EU’s list of visa-exempt countries, which currently numbers 61 nations. This gives UK residents the freedom to travel to the EU for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a visa.

MyBritishPassport has developed a tool that enables every British passport holder to check whether his or her passport is valid for travel to the EU.

UK Passport Checker

Click here to access this useful tool (we have included a screenshot of the tool below).

How to use the passport validity checker for EU travel

Simply answer the following questions and submit your response.

• Where are you traveling to
• When does your passport expire
• When do you plan on travelling to Europe
• When do you plan on leaving Europe

You will immediately get a result – either stating that you need to renew your passport before you travel, or that your passport is valid.

Passport rules for travel to Europe

Understanding the rules for UK passport validity, especially in the context of traveling to the EU, is crucial. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

• Passport Validity Duration : UK passports for adults are valid for ten years and for children for five years.
• EU Travel Restrictions : For travel within the EU, passports must not be older than ten years. Even if a UK passport is still valid, if it exceeds ten years from the issue date, entry into the EU may be denied.
• The Nine Years and Nine Months Rule : Some EU borders enforce a stricter rule, not allowing entry if the passport is older than nine years and nine months. This policy accounts for the three-month period allowed for EU travel, ensuring the passport doesn’t exceed the ten-year limit at the point of exit.
• Extension to Six Months : Some countries have extended the rule to six months instead of nine years and nine months. Consequently, both the European Commission and the UK Government advise having at least six months left on your passport.
• Renewal Recommendation : If your passport is nine and a half years old, it’s advisable to renew it before traveling to avoid any issues at the border.

Why Checking your passport validity is important

If you’re planning to travel soon, it’s essential that you check your passport validity in good time – preferably a few months before your trip.

This will give you enough time to renew your passport if it is not valid for travel to the EU.

Border officials of various EU nations frequently request that passport holders have at least six months of remaining validity on their passports.

This is to ensure that travellers will not overstay their welcome in the Schengen Area .

What to do if your UK passport is not valid for travel to the EU

If your UK passport is not valid for travel to the EU, don’t panic! You can renew your passport by following these simple steps.

How to renew your UK passport

Renewing your UK passport from abroad with MyBritishPassport is simple.

• Simply complete our easy, online British Passport renewal or application form and make payment on our safe and secure platform. Click here.
• Once you have submitted your application and paid, you will be contacted by one of our British passport specialists with clear instructions regarding digital passport photo and any additional documents that are required.
• Our expert team will check your documents and forms, ensure that your passport photos are compliant, and submit your application to the passport office. Your documents are sent to HM Passport Office using our reliable, registered courier service.
• Wait for your new passport to be delivered to your doorstep via our registered, reliable courier service.

Renewing your British passport from Australia? Click here to find out more.

Check my passport expiry date UK

As mentioned above, checking your passport expiry date is always important because it is a crucial document that verifies your identity and citizenship, and it is required for international travel.

If your passport has expired, you may be denied entry into a foreign country, causing significant inconvenience and potentially ruining your travel plans.

Furthermore, renewing a passport can take several weeks, so it is wise to check the expiry date well in advance of your trip to ensure you have enough time to renew it if necessary. In short, checking your passport expiry date is a simple step that can help prevent issues and ensure a smooth and stress-free travel experience.

About MyBritishPassport

MyBritishPassport is the leading provider of British passport services, specialising in applications, renewals and replacements from abroad. We are a team of experts who are passionate about helping people obtain their British passports as quickly and easily as possible.

We have a wealth of experience in dealing with UK passports, and we are here to help you every step of the way. Contact us today to find out more about our services.

How do I check if my passport is valid UK?

You can check the validity of your UK passport for EU travel by using the UK passport checker tool on the MyBritishPassport website.

Another way to check the validity of your passport is by contacting your nearest British embassy or consulate. They will be able to tell you if your passport is still valid and when it expires.

You can also check your passport’s expiry date on the data page of your passport. Please note that the  passport expiry date  is printed on the front page of your passport under ‘Passport Issued’.

An adult passport validity is 10 years from the date it is issued.

Wondering how far in advance you can renew your British passport? Read more here.

Conclusion:

It’s important to check the validity of your UK passport before travelling to the EU. You can do this by using the UK passport checker tool on the MyBritishPassport website. If your passport is not valid, you can renew it by following the steps outlined in this blog post. MyBritishPassport can help you with this process. Contact us today to find out more.

Topic: check my passport expiry date UK

Find out more about British Passport renewal requirements here.

Other Helpful Guides:

• Renewing your UK passport from South Africa
• How to renew your British Passport from Australia
• Renewing your British passport in the USA
• UK Passport Renewals from Canada
• Renew UK Passport in NZ
• Renew British Passport from South Africa
• Renew UK Passport from Australia
• British Passports in the USA
• UK Passport Renewals Canada
• Renew British Passport from Europe

ABOUT MYBRITISHPASSPORT

A member of the U.K.PASSPORTS™ group, MyBritishPassport is the leading international British Passport Service Provider catering to British citizens residing outside of the UK. Since its establishment in 2008, the company has been offering efficient and hassle-free online services for British Passport renewals, replacements, and applications from abroad.

The company has gained a reputation as a leading service provider in the industry, with countless verified five-star reviews from satisfied clients worldwide. This speaks volumes about their excellent service quality.

MyBritishPassport has a highly knowledgeable team of British Passport Consultants who are well-versed in all the requirements of the HM Passport Office. They are continuously updated with the latest rules and regulations governing passport issuance, ensuring that their clients receive the most up-to-date advice and guidance.

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‘I was in tears’: Briton with valid passport barred from flight over Brexit rules

Experts say it is vital to check you meet EU requirements, or you could risk losing your holiday

• Why did I have to fly to Belfast to get a new UK passport?

Travellers who have not used their passport for a while were this week being urged to dig it out and check it conforms to the post-Brexit rules for entering the EU – because if it doesn’t, you will almost certainly be denied boarding this summer.

Despite previous warnings in Guardian Money and some other publicity, UK travellers trying to enter the Schengen zone are being turned away on a daily basis by airline staff at boarding gates – in most cases because their UK passport was issued more than 10 years ago.

Rosi Simpson, a teacher from Brighton, is one of the latest to be caught up in the confusion. She says she was left “mortified and in tears” after easyJet staff refused to allow her to board a flight to Paris to see her son, who is studying there, because her UK passport had been issued 10 years and one day previously.

“I had no idea of the 10-year rule,” she says. “I’d checked the expiry date, and my passport had eight months remaining. What happened at the boarding gate was absolutely awful. I lost the cost of the flight and the accommodation I’d booked – I’d been so looking forward to seeing my son. What I don’t understand is why this [rule change] hasn’t had more publicity – an information campaign. I wasn’t the only one who this had happened to at the airport that day,” she says.

In terms of flights and ferries to mainland Europe, passengers will also be denied boarding if their passport expires less than three months after their return date. Previously, it was thought that UK travellers needed at least six months left, although the EU has since clarified the three-month requirement.

Prior to Brexit, UK passport holders could travel in and out of the EU as long as they held a valid passport, even one that expired the day after their return.

The more onerous rules, which came into effect in 2021, apply to UK passport holders travelling to any EU country (except Ireland), plus the others in the Schengen zone: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican and Switzerland.

The “over 10-year” problem came about because, for many years, those renewing their passport before the previous one expired were able to add any remaining time left. Prior to September 2018, you could have up to nine months added to the replacement’s 10-year length – meaning their passport could be valid for as long as 10 years and nine months.

Passengers may look at their passport, see that it does not expire until well after their return, and conclude that all is well. However, they need to check the date of issue. If the passport will be more than 10 years old on the day of entry, they will not be allowed in.

The change has caught out a great many passengers who were unaware of the change. Last year, Guardian Money featured the case of Pat Cerely and her husband, Peter, who were refused permission to board their plane to Madeira on the grounds that Pat’s passport was not valid – even though it had another nine months remaining.

Every day, others are falling foul of the rule – and if it happens to you, it can be a financial disaster. Travel insurers will not pay out for a lost holiday if you tried to travel with an invalid passport.

Jo Rhodes, the deputy travel editor at Which?, says: “Recently, some travellers have been caught out by EU passport rules, meaning they haven’t been able to go on holiday as planned.

“Your passport must have been issued in the past 10 years at the time of entering the EU. Legally, you’re also required to have at least three months left on your passport at the time you plan on exiting the EU. If you have a holiday planned this summer, check your passport now to make sure it meets all the requirements for your destination, so you don’t risk being turned away at the airport.”

She says Which? advises travelling with at least six months’ validity “to be on the safe side”.

She adds: “Despite the legal requirement being three months, UK travellers are strongly advised by the European Commission and the UK government to have no less than six months on the end of their passports. This is because some border guards believe that people tend to stay in the EU for longer than they say and so they’re reluctant to grant you entry if you have less than six months.”

Countries such as Romania, which is in Europe but outside the Schengen zone, stipulate that UK passport holders are required to have at least six months on their passports to enter the country. It is by no means alone.

To add extra excitement to the story, Passport Office workers, who process applications, are approaching the end of a five-week strike. It is thought that up to a quarter of the agency’s 4,000 employees are not in work as normal.

However, while the Passport Office says users should currently allow 10 weeks for their application to be processed , most applications are being sorted out a lot more quickly than that. The 10-week advice includes every kind of application, including those for new passports or where the renewal requires a change of name after a marriage or similar.

If you have a straightforward renewal of an existing passport and your details are all the same – name and address and so on – then people are reporting getting their replacements in days rather than weeks.

The most recent postings on the Passportwaitingtime.co.uk website – which tells you how long it is likely to take to get your UK passport – suggested that simple adult renewals were being processed in an average of 12 days, and often more quickly than that. Adult first passport applications were typically being processed in 17 days (29 days with an interview) while one-week fast-track applications were being dealt with in 5.7 days, it said this week.

Guardian Money has heard similar reports. The online process is the quickest and cheapest way to apply.

A Passport Office spokesperson told us it “remains well positioned to deal with this industrial action, and there is no change in our guidance … People are receiving their passports in good time, with 99.7% of applications processed within the published 10-week timeframe.”

The final sting in the tail is that the passport fees all rose for the first time in five years in February. The fee for a standard online application made from within the UK rose from £75.50 to £82.50 for adults, and from £49 to £53.50 for children. Postal applications went up from £85 to £93 for adults and from £58.50 to £64 for children. If you were born on or before 2 September 1929, it is free.

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