Summer is right around the corner and many UK holidaymakers will be looking to jet off abroad.
While planning what you are going to do on your holiday can be a delightful experience, it’s important to make sure that all of the documentation you will need for your trip is in order – especially your passport.
After Brexit, rules for travelling from the UK to Europe changed, with new legislation brought in.
However, wherever you are looking to travel in the world, it’s important that you make sure your passport is valid for long enough to meet the rules of your destination.
So how will this affect your passport renewal? And, in order to travel, how long should your passport be valid for?
Here’s what you should know.
How to check your passport expiration date
Checking your passport’s expiration date is quite simple.
The issue date and expiration date are both listed on the page which has your passport photo and name on them.
Adult passports usually last 10 years, but it’s important to remember that a child’s passport will only be valid for five.
How many months do you need on your existing passport to travel?
Once you’ve clocked the date, you’ll need to visit the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office website to check their foreign travel advice for your destination of choice.
Click on the country you’d like to visit, and under the ‘entry requirements’ section, you can see exactly how long you need to have left on your passport in order to fly there.
If you’re reluctant to renew your passport yet, you might be wondering if you can get away with travelling on your existing passport.
Firstly, if your passport is past its expiry date, then obviously you can’t travel on it at all.
Many countries will expect British passports to be valid only for the duration of your stay, including Australia and the United States.
However, others will expect a bit more, such as South Africa and New Zealand, which require 30 days and one month past the expiration date respectively.
People on British passports hoping to visit European Union countries (except Ireland) or Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or Vatican City have rules to follow- known as the Schengen area rules.
Their 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 (check the ‘expiry date’)
E.g. If you’re planning to visit Spain and intend to leave on June 6 2023, your passport will need to be valid until at least September 6 2023.
Other countries beyond Europe may have similar rules in place for Brits, so it’s important to check the FCO’s exact travel advice for your desired destination before you book.
Countries such as China, Egypt, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey will expect six months left on your passport (likely from the day you arrive) – with India travel requiring at least 180 days of validity, according to the Post Office.
Don’t drop any cash on a holiday until you’ve checked everyone’s passports are all good to go.
And these aren’t the only passport, visa or entry requirements for any of the countries listed above. Make sure you know exactly what documents you’ll need before you travel.
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