ABTA urges holidaymakers to check their passport meets validity rules for travel to Europe

With the start of the Easter holidays just a few weeks away, ABTA – The Travel Association is encouraging anyone with plans to travel to Europe to make sure their passport will be valid for their trip.
The advice comes as some people are still getting caught out by a change in rules for British passport holders that has been in effect for over four years.
If your passport is not valid you will not be allowed to travel, and ABTA says there are still cases of people being turned away at the airport due to their passport not meeting the rules, which means they can’t go on holiday and lose out financially.

British passport holders travelling to the Schengen area – which is countries in the EU (except Ireland) as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City – need to make sure their passport meets two main validity requirements, which are independent of each other.

1. The passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date they enter the country.
2. The passport must be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave.

So, when travelling to the majority of countries in Europe, people need to check both the date of issue to check that their passport is no more than 10 years old when they enter the country, and also check the date of expiry to make sure they will have at least three months left when they return to the UK.

ABTA’s four-step guide to checking passport validity for Europe

1. Visit the FCDO travel advice to find the passport rules for the country you’re planning to visit.
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. If you need to renew, applying online at Gov.UK is the cheapest way to do so.

Graeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA – The Travel Association 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.”