Over a quarter of a million Brits could end up having their summer holidays ruined because of their passports, a new study has found.
Research from Co-op Insurance has found that 254,316 UK holidaymakers could currently be at risk of being denied boarding because their documents will be deemed invalid for the likes of Spain, France, Greece and more popular hotspots.
The insurers are urging Brits to check their passports meet EU requirements. Under the new rules, your passport must be issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the 'date of issue'), and it must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave (check the 'expiry date').
Most people – understandably – assume that an adult passport lasts 10 years, however extra months might have been added to its expiry date if the previous passport was renewed before it fully expired (the additional months used to be rolled over).
Have you had a holiday ruined because of the new rules? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
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Check your passports as early as you can (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Many Brits have already been caught, which saw them turned away at departure gates, costing them huge amounts of money after missing holidays.
Graham Ward-Lush, Head of travel at Co-op Insurance, says: "For many years, travellers renewing their passport before the previous one expired were able to carry over any remaining time left. Before September 2018, a maximum of nine months could be added to the replacement’s 10-year length – meaning passports could be valid for as long as 10 years and nine months.
"Passengers may look at their passport, see that it does not expire until well after their return, and believe all is well. However, we urge travellers to check the date of issue especially if it’s before 1st October 2018. If the passport is more than 10 years old on the day of entry, they will not be allowed in.
"There can’t be a more heart-breaking scenario than unearthing a passport the night before travel, only to realise that it is out of date. We want to help ensure that people all over the UK manage to have their dream holiday this summer and aren’t stranded at home due to invalid travel documentation!"
The insurance firm says that 77% of its policies purchased in 2023 so far have been for an EU destination, with a year-on-year increase of 32% in policies sold.
Passport renewals start from £82.50 online or £93 if you fill in a paper form via the Post office. It's worth noting that the Home Office currently recommends leaving at least 10 weeks for applications to be returned, although there are some fast-track options if you need one urgently.
You can find out more about Co-op Travel Insurance here.
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