Half term is here meaning that thousands of British families will be heading on holidays to the likes of Spain, France, Cyprus, Italy and Greece to name a few.
As UK holidaymakers board flights with Jet2, TUI, Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways and more, they're being urged to check their passports before they even set off for the airport.
This summer, plenty of Brits had holidays ruined and were denied boarding flights after falling foul of new passport rules brought in after Brexit.
In fact, the UK's Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for EU countries including Spain and France to reflect the changes.
Essentially, there are two key dates to check on your passport;
- The issue date - this must be no more than 10 years before travel
- The expiry date - this must be at least three months after your holiday
In its updated advice, the Foreign Office explains: "If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
"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 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
"You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date."
Of course it's not just passport rules that Brits need to take note of when heading abroad.
There are countries that still have Covid travel rules in place, although the majority of European hotspots have now lifted their restrictions.
Just this week, Spain announced that it would be scrapping the last of its Covid rules for Brits, and will no longer will require UK visitors to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test if they want to visit.
The news will no doubt come as a huge boost for families heading to the hotspot for October half term, with Spain remaining a firm favourite with UK holidaymakers.
Meanwhile for those who aren't tied to the school holiday dates, destinations such as the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands still boast balmy weather in the cooler months, making them ideal for winter sun holidays.
- Always check the Foreign Office advice for a destination before booking a trip or heading abroad, as travel restrictions can change quickly.
Have you had any issues with your passport since the change in rules? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
