UK passport-holders have been advised to thoroughly check their documents before travelling following reports of holidaymakers repeatedly falling foul of post-Brexit legislation. Many have been unable to travel and left massively out of pocket because of new rules.
Rising numbers of passengers are expected to getaway for the final weeks of the schools summer break to to make the best of the August bank holiday. So travel trade body ABTA has issued a checklist for those looking to get away complete with the message: "Check if your passport will be valid for travel dates."
Shirelle Quinn and her son Freddy, who were due to fly to Alicante from Newcastle Airport, are recent victims of changing regulations. They were told by TUI airport check-in staff they wouldn't be able to fly because the mum's passport was issued more than 10 years before, reports the Mirror.
Meanwhile one family were left £2,000 out of pocket when they were refused permission to travel to Portugal because of a similar passport mix-up.
To avoid being caught out, check out the following information before heading off on holiday.
Checking passport validity
ABTA recommends checking passport validity by looking at both its issue and expiry date. Some countries require a minimum amount of time left on a passport, which usually between three to six months before expiry, but this can vary.
Travel to Europe post-Brexit
ABTA has helped to clarify some of the new rules. It explains: "Your passport cannot be more than 10 years-old when entering the country – so check when your passport was issued and when it is due to expire. Most places in Europe will require you to have a least three months left on your passport on the date of departure from your destination – check the Foreign Office advice for the passport rules for your destination.
"So, when checking if your passport will be valid for the dates of your trip, you need to check both the issue date and the expiry date in your passport. If you renewed your current passport early, extra months may have been added to its expiry date and this could affect the requirement for your passport to be less than 10 years old."
Renewing or applying for a passport
ABTA warns: "Her Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO) is currently advising that it may take up to 10 weeks for applications to be processed when applying from the UK, so make sure you apply in good time."
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