Millions of holidaymakers are expected to catch up on trips abroad this year as restrictions ease across the globe.
Testing requirements, vaccine certificates and passengers locator forms are all a thing of the past for travellers heading back into Scotland.
And other countries are beginning to take similar steps of easing as many more nations enter a different phase of the Covid pandemic.
More and more people are in the process of applying for their passports - which appears to have been on the back burner for many over the past two years.
HM Passport Office claims that more than five million people delayed applying for their vital travel documents due to the restrictions in 2020 and 2021.
It is expected that 9.5 million British passport applications will be made throughout this year.
While the main reason for sending off an application is for expiring or expired passports, there are other factors travellers will need to look out for before heading out on their holidays.
The Mirror has listed four key passport checks you should do before your travels.
The expiry date
It may sound obvious, but your passport's expiry date is key.
In the excitement of finally getting to head abroad again, it's easy to forget to check your documents are still valid, so make sure to check your passport's expiry date.
It's also worth noting that the expiry date needs to be valid after you've travelled too. The majority of countries usually require your passport to be valid for at least three months following the date you leave the country, including holiday hotspots like Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Cyprus and Greece.
The best place to check exact requirements is on the Foreign Office's travel advice for a destination - you can check this on gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
The date of issue
A large number of EU countries in the Schengen Area require your passport to be no more than 10 years old from the point of issue.
However, when you take into account that your passport also needs to be valid at least three to six months after travel, you need to ensure you meet both sets of criteria to visit a country.
For example, Portugal requires your passport to be valid three months after travel, so your passport will need to have been issued nine years and nine months before your travel date.
Previously, UK passports were issued and essentially allowed for this buffer, but following the UK's exit from the EU, this doesn't apply in the same way.
Again the best place to check exact requirements for your destination is on gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, but it's also worth speaking to your airline or tour operator if you're unsure.
Check your passport for damage
A damaged passport could be deemed as invalid by border control on either side of your journey, so it's important to keep this document in a safe place. Still, accidents happen - and if your passport is damaged, you'll need to apply for a new one.
There are various factors which could mean a passport is deemed to be invalid. For example, if your personal details are unreadable, if there are any pages which are ripped or missing, or if the pages have been damaged by water. Any unexpected markings or writings could also mean your passport isn't deemed suitable.
You can find out more about renewing a damaged passport on the website here - gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/replace.
Use the Foreign Office advice checklist
The Foreign Office has issued a specific pre-travel checklist for UK holidaymakers to use as guidance before holidays, and this includes key information on passports and visas.
As part of its advice it suggests:
- "Take a photo or photocopy of the information page of your passport (the page with your photo, personal details and passport number) and store it securely, so you can access it if your valuables/phone are lost or stolen."
- "Sign your passport on the page opposite your information page. An unsigned passport is not valid."
- "Fill in your emergency contact details in the back of your passport."
You can find out more on gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-checklist.
