Summer is almost upon us and if you've got an exotic holiday abroad planned, you've likely already started the preparations.
And although it might seem obvious, you should always ensure you've done all the necessary passport checks before heading to the airport - as failing to do so may mean you're unable to go away at all.
This involves checking the expiry date carefully, as new rules have come into force post-Brexit meaning you may not be able to enter certain EU countries if you cut it too fine to renew your document.
Manchester Evening News reports that some holidaymakers have been prevented from stepping on the plane thanks to their passports not complying with expiration rules required by certain countries.
Under the new regulations, UK passport holders travelling to anywhere in the EU (except Ireland) need to make sure that their passport was issued less than 10 years before the date they enter countries in the Schengen Zone.
It also needs to be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave.
For instance, if you were travelling to Spain on July 21, 2023 and returning to the UK on August 4, 2023, the passport would need to have been issued less than 10 years before July 21, 2023 and be valid for at least three months after August 4, 2023.
Graeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA the trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry, said: "ABTA’s message is don’t delay, check today. Most of our favourite European destinations, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Portugal, now have different passport validity requirements for British passport holders.
"So, if you’re planning to travel to Europe this summer, save yourself the stress later on by digging out your passport now, following our handy guide to check if it will be valid, and making sure you renew promptly if needed. And, if you’re not sure if it’s valid, check our passport pages on the ABTA website."
How to renew your passport
It's recommended that people allow 10 weeks to renew their passport, or apply for a new one.
But according to the site passportwaitingtime.co.uk, it's currently taking around 18 days for renewed adult passports to be processed and sent out.
There are two ways to renew your passport - online or by post. Renewing online costs £82.50, while doing it by post costs £93.
To do it online all you'll need your existing passport as well as a digital photograph.
For a postal renewal, you need to fill out a form that you can pick up from the Post Office, as well as two printed photos of yourself.
If you're going away soon and need to get your passport fast you can either use the one-week Fast Track service or the Online Premium service.
The Fast Track option is for those who need to renew their passport, change any of the details, replace it or apply for a first child passport.
You can book an appointment to do this at your nearest passport office where it will cost £155 for an adult and £126 for a child.
Alternatively, if you’re renewing an adult passport that was issued after December 31, 2001 then you can use the Online Premium service, which costs £193.50. You can apply and book an appointment online and will receive your new passport there in as little as two days.
You only need to make an appointment at a Passport Customer Service Centre if using the Fast Track or Online Premium options. The centres are based in: Belfast, Birmingham, Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport and Peterborough.
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