Travel agents urge Brits to check passports before booking summer holidays

14 April 2023 , 11:04

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The Association of British Travel Agents has offered some passport advice (Image: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Brits planning summer holidays are being urged to check their passports are in order and that they have the right visas before booking a trip.

ABTA - The Travel Association - formerly known as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) - has issued advice about passports for those looking to go away this year.

Since the UK left the European Union, travel has become a little more complicated, especially for British passport holders heading to one of the remaining 27 countries, with new passport rules in place.

With workers at the Passport Office currently on strike until May, when to apply for a new travel document if yours is about to expire is important.

Luckily ABTA has issued some guidance and tips so you don't get caught out when trying to jet, train or ferry away on holiday this year.

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Make sure your travel documents are in order (Getty Images)

One of the most important things you need to check is if your passport will be valid for your travel dates and if not, make sure it is renewed in good time for your trip.

ABTA recommends you check the Foreign Office's travel advice for your destination, for full details on what visas you may need and any rules on your passport's validity.

As part of its guidance the association explains: "If you're a British passport holder and you're heading to EU countries, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, your passport must be:

• Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (so check the ‘date of issue’)
• Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave (so check the ‘date of expiry’).

"If your current passport was issued before 1 October 2018, you might have had extra months from your previous passport added to its expiry date.

Passport rules have changed since Brexit (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"These extra months do count towards the required three months that you will need on your passport on the day you plan to leave, but it does mean that it’s even more important to check that your passport will also be less than 10 years old on the date you enter the EU."

The experts also warn you to check children's passports, as they're only valid for five years for under 16s. Although this means they will fall foul of the 'issued under 10 years' rule, they simply need to meet the three months' validity rule.

If you need to renew your passports, travel agents urge that you "make sure you apply in good time", especially as currently Brits can face up to 10-week waits for their documents (although there are fast-track options).

Milo Boyd