With the holiday season springing upon us, many are dusting off their passports to escape to paradise – making now the perfect time to check your travel documents are up to date
A travel expert has urged holidaymakers to conduct a five-minute check of their passports before jetting away.
In recent days attention has turned once again to the issue of UK passport holders being stopped from boarding planes because their documents are not valid. Since the country left the European Union, different rules have been in place which means some pre-expiration passports are no longer accepted.
Nathan Barnes is one Brit who fell foul of the rule. He was on his way to Limoges with his fiancé to visit family when he ran into trouble. The 31-year-old had checked in for the flight online and had gone through security and passport control. It was only when he got to the departure gate that he was told he could not travel because his document had been issued more than 10 years before – despite being valid in one sense.
With the holiday season springing upon us, many are dusting off their passports to escape to paradise. According to government figures, up to 32 million people applied for their current passports before the new rules came in. Not all of those will fall foul of them, however.
To make sure you don’t find yourself following in Nathan’s footsteps, travel expert Gemma Brown has urged people to make a five-minute check. UK travellers used to be able to carry up to nine months from an old passport over to a new one. Although, post-Brexit, EU countries will not accept passports issued more than 10 years ago.
Gemma, head of commercial Travel Republic, said: “Many UK travellers could be affected by the news of the 10-year passport rule, which could put them at risk of being turned away at the airport.
“Those travelling to any country in the EU, or Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland should ensure their passports were issued less than 10 years prior to their departure dates. Passports must also have a minimum of three months validity after the scheduled return dates.
“If, however, travellers make it all the way to their boarding gate without checking, airlines can refuse those holding passports that were issued over 10 years ago. In this instance, passengers should be aware that denied boarding is reasonable due to inadequate travel documentation. The likelihood is that travel insurance providers would not cover any costs associated with invalid or expired passports, as it’s down to the traveller to triple check their documentation is correct.
“Our advice would be to ensure that your passport is within the 10 year issue date and is valid for at least six months from the date of departure to ensure you will be accepted into most countries. Regardless of passport rules, it’s important for all travellers to research the country they plan to visit and ensure they know what travel documentation is required upon entering and leaving. You can find foreign travel advice on the government website to make sure you have everything covered.”
Check out more of Daily Mirror’s latest travel stories by signing up to our free weekly newsletter.
