A timely reminder has been issued to anyone travelling to Europe from the UK this year. It comes as advertisements focus on summer holidays and breaks, and weary Brits begin to think about a getaway to foreign climes.
Being aware of the current passport rules is essential. Depending upon which country you are visiting will mean that there are certain rules that must be followed.
As Nottinghamshire Live's sister publication, Liverpool Echo, reminded readers: "You must follow the Schengen area passport requirements if you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City". While we all became acutely aware of ever-changing Covid travel rules over the past few years, travellers should also remember that rules apply for passports too.
Read more: Fast Track UK passport: What it is actually like and why you still need to rush to get it done
While most people know that their passports should be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave, it shouldn't be forgotten that the document must also have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country. In the past, a number of travellers have been caught out because they thought their passports were valid because they weren't due to expire for some time.
However, it is the date of issue you need to double check. If you turn up at an airport with an invalid passport you may be denied entry to EU countries.
How to check your passport and the rules of entry
You can check your issue date in your passport. It will be under 'date of issue'. If your passport was issued before October 1, 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date, but these months will not be valid for people entering the EU.
Travellers and holidaymakers should also check the current rules for entry into your destination country. This can easily be done on the Government website. The site provides foreign travel advice on safety and security, entry requirements, travel warnings and coronavirus checks.
It's worth checking on the website before you book your trip to make sure you meet the entry requirements for your destination country. Some 226 countries and territories are list in alphabetical order. You can check the current rules at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice or simply click here.
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