ABTA is reminding travellers to Europe to ensure their passport will be valid, adding people are still getting caught out by a change in rules for British passport holders that has been in effect for more than four years.
British passport holders travelling to Schengen area countries, which are all EU countries except Ireland, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, need to make sure their passport meets two requirements to be valid.
• The passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date they enter the country.
• The passport must be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave.
This means that, when travelling to most countries in Europe, people need to check both the date of issue and date of expiry.
ABTA has a four-step guide to checking passport validity for Europe:
1 Visit the FCDO travel advice to find the passport rules for the destination
2 Be aware that most countries in Europe will require your passport to have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country, so check the ‘date of issue’.
3 Check the ‘date of expiry’ to make sure it has the required amount of months left when you return, as most countries in Europe will require at least three months’ validity.
4 To renew a passport, applying online at Gov.UK is the cheapest way to do so.
ABTA Director of Communications Graeme Buck said: “It’s quick to follow our four steps to make sure your passport is valid and you won’t be stopped from travelling. This is particularly important if your passport is due to expire in the next year or so.
“For extra peace of mind that you’ve got all your travel documentation in order, book with an ABTA member travel agent or tour operator who can guide you through the requirements and offer any other expert help and advice you might need.”
See also: Cost of new passports to rise next month
