Half term has officially landed, with thousands of British families jet-setting off to foreign sands in the form of Spanish, French, Cypriot, Italian and Greek holidays to name a few.
As UK holidaymakers board flights with the likes of Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair and BA - they're being urged to check their passports well in advance to avoid disappointment at the airport.
This summer welcomed new rules in a post-Brexit Britain, with many instances of fun in the sun ruined for holiday hopefuls falling foul. In face, the UK's Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for EU countries to reflect upon the changes - The Mirror reports.
Read more: Spain scraps all Covid travel rules for UK holidaymakers ahead of October half-term
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 countless countries which 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.
Read next:
- Blow for EasyJet, Tui, Ryanair and Virgin holidaymakers claiming refunds as dispute scheme backs airlines
France travel warning issued to anyone from UK going on holiday
Tourism boost for north Northumberland and Scottish Borders as new trail secures £4.5m funding
Liverpool hotels sell out following Eurovision news as prices surge into the thousands
EasyJet's summer 2023 flights are now on sale to 104 destinations from UK airports
