HEADING to Turkey for your summer holiday in the next few weeks? Make sure to double check your passport before flying.
Brits are repeatedly being caught out before they travel by things like passport expiry dates and leaving blank pages for stamps.
Thomas Cook has found that travel to Turkey is up 37 per cent year-on-year with Brits heading to places like the sparkling Turquoise Coast.
For those heading on holiday soon, it’s important to have a reminder of the entry rules as they are different to countries in the Schengen Area.
Brits heading to Turkey need at least 150 days left on their passport from the date of arrival.
This is different to the EU rules which requires three months, compared to Turkey’s nearly five months.
If you don’t have the right amount of time then you may be denied entry by your airline before flying, or at the border on arrival.
Even worse news is that if this happens, travel insurance is unlikely to cover the cost of cancelled accommodation, missed flights or return travel.
Another requirement to enter Turkey is that passports need to have one completely blank page.
This is to allow room for entry and exit stamps or full-page visas.
Airlines may check this before passengers even board the plane, as they could face fines if a passenger is later refused entry.
So if you’re a frequent flyer, check how many blank pages you have remaining in your passport before booking a trip.
The UK Foreign Office currently states: “To enter Turkey, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 150 days after the date you arrive and at least 1 blank page.
“You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document.”
If you need a new passport for your holiday, you may want to look at applying now as typical renewals can take around three weeks.
There is a fast-track service if your passport isn’t valid and you need to travel soon.
For more information on passport rules, visas and items you need to pack in your hand luggage this summer – head here.