Latest UK passport rules for holidaymakers with £222 warning

Travellers are being encouraged to check their passports

Those planning getaways in the upcoming weeks and months are being advised to examine their passports, due to lesser-known travel regulations that have been implemented following Brexit. Everyone living in the UK will need a valid passport if they want to travel internationally.

You can request a British passport if you’re a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British overseas citizen, a British subject, a British national (overseas), or a British protected person.

To secure a new or replacement document, you’ll need to submit an application to HM Passport Office, with the current average processing time being three weeks or less.

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With the final weeks of the summer break now upon us, specialists at Confused.com are encouraging travellers to check their passports. Alvaro Iturmendi commented: “Nothing ruins the end-of-summer buzz faster than being turned away at the airport because your passport is not valid.

“It is easier to get caught out than you might think. Our research found that less than half (43%) holidaygoers, know that if you are heading to the EU, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before your departure date.”

As Mr Iturmendi explained, all UK passport holders travelling to the Schengen area must ensure their passport’s “date of issue” falls within 10 years of their arrival date. Additionally, the passport’s “expiry date” must be no less than three months after their planned departure from the Schengen area, reports the Liverpool Echo.

If your passport fails to meet entry requirements, you’ll most likely be turned away at your departure airport. So it’s definitely worth checking yours right now.

And if you require a replacement passport quickly, it could set you back as much as £222.

The current estimated waiting time is a maximum of three weeks, though government officials warn it can occasionally take longer “if we need more information, or we need to interview you”.

People to whom this applies will be notified within the three-week period. As of April 10, a standard adult passport, for those aged 16 and over, costs £94.50 when applying online, or £107 when applying using the paper form.

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