Thousands of Brits are eagerly anticipating their summer getaways, yet there is one vital check that must be done beforehand. Many travellers have already been caught out, with their hard-earned holidays left in ruins.
Travel expert Simon Calder recently warned that "thousands upon thousands" of people have failed to realise the issue until it was too late, missing their booked holidays entirely. To prevent this from happening to even more holidaymakers, a number of travel experts were consulted on the single most important check every Brit must carry out before heading to the airport. All agreed that those travelling to Europe must not only verify their passport's expiry date but also ensure it was issued less than 10 years ago.
Prior to 2018, passports could remain valid for up to 10 years and nine months. However, anyone travelling to the EU or Schengen areas can no longer hold a passport that is more than 10 years old upon arrival at their destination. It must also remain valid for at least three months beyond the date they intend to return home.
Francis Hellyer, CEO of tickadoo, said: "People check the expiry date, see it is months away, and relax. But for getting into the EU the border does not care about your expiry date, it cares about your issue date.
"If your passport is more than 10 years old on the day you land, you can be turned away at the gate even with eight months left on the page. Check the date of issue, not just the date of expiry."
Natasha Inglis, Implementation and Client Success Director at Good Business Travel, added: "Your passport might still be in date, but that doesn't always mean it's valid for travel.
"Most travellers only look at their passport's expiry date, but the issue date is just as important. For travel to EU countries, passports must be less than 10 years old on the day you arrive.
"This means that certain valid passports could still be rejected at the airport, so it's really crucial to check both dates before you travel."
Patrick Hill, Head of Paramount Cruises, revealed he is seeing "more and more" holidaymakers falling foul of the regulations, particularly those making last-minute bookings.
He encouraged travellers to verify their passport validity before making a booking rather than just before departure, and to keep in mind the updated rules concerning the 10-year issue date.
Patrick explained: "If you renewed before October 1, 2018, the Passport Office sometimes carried over unused months from your old passport. The EU doesn't count those. So check your date of issue, not just your expiry, they're not the same thing."
As well as passports needing to be issued within the past 10 years, there must also be three months remaining after the date you intend to depart the Schengen area. Patrick pointed out, however, that cruise operators frequently require six months' validity from the end of the voyage.
He added: "Check both your issue date and expiry date the moment you start booking, not the week you travel. We've seen too many holidays evaporate at the check-in desk over a few missing months."
Find the date of issue on your passport photo page and add 10 years. Ensure your outbound flight departs before that date.
Next, find the expiry date and subtract three months. Confirm your return flight lands before that date.
Be sure to check every passport included in your booking, paying particular attention to children's passports, which are only valid for five years.
Francis Hellyer warned: "Do not assume that being allowed to check in means you are safe. Airlines turn away borderline passports to avoid EU fines, and immigration can still refuse you even after you board. If anything looks tight, renew now."
He added: "When someone is refused boarding, the flight is only the start of the loss. We see how much a family spends on the holiday itself, the tours, the show tickets, the day trips, and a lot of that is non-refundable. A passport check takes two minutes and it is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy for the whole trip."
