If you are thinking of heading abroad when the schools break-up in July, you had better make sure your passport is up to date. There are waits of up to 10 weeks to get passports renewed, and you don't want just a couple of days come between you and your well-earned getaway.
And Monday has been dubbed 'passport renewal day', the Mirror reports. May 9 is the last date for a 10-week passport renewal for those wanting to head off on July 18, the week many schools in England and Wales start to break up for summer.
And it is estimated that four and a half million British holidaymakers could be at risk of having their travel plans grounded due to not having a valid passport by the time they depart as a result of the lengthy delays. Co-op Travel said demand for insurance has doubled in recent months and urged passengers to check their documents.
Figures obtained from the Passport Office show almost 7% of the UK’s total population will see their documents expire before July 18, the week that many schools in England and Wales start to break up for summer.
In preparation for the demand for international travel returning, since April 2021 the Passport Office has been advising people to allow up to 10 weeks when applying for their British passport. This remains the case, although many will get their passports earlier.
Travelling without a valid passport is against the law, and most European countries now require British travellers to have a passport which is valid for at least three months after the date they intend to leave the EU country they are visiting. For some destinations, your passport will need to have been issued in the past 10 years.
Graham Ward-Lush, head of travel at Co-op Insurance, said: “Many of us won’t have had a proper summer holiday since 2019 and we know that millions of Brits all over the country are eagerly anticipating this year’s getaway, particularly as most travel restrictions have now been lifted.
“But with many passports having been lying in a drawer for the past two years, we’re urging travellers to check the expiration date on their own passports and also any family member’s today.
“Many families in England and Wales will be looking to get away at the end of July, which means May 9th is a good deadline to set yourself in order to ensure that new documents arrive back in time.
“There can’t be a more heart-breaking scenario than unearthing a passport the night before travel, only to realise that it is out of date. We want to help ensure that people all over the UK manage to have their dream holiday this summer and aren’t stranded at home due to invalid travel documentation!”
Passport renewals cost £75.50 online or £85 by post, and can be done digitally using the Government’s online service or via the Post Office’s check and send service.
