Need to know
British holidaymakers still using old red passports are being urged to make an important check
Old-style red passports are being phased out(Image: Kypros via Getty Images)
Need to Know: Red passport holders issued warning ahead of summer holidays
- British holidaymakers still using old red passports are being warned to check their documents before summer travels due to strict international entry requirements.
- Many countries enforce the ‘six-month validity rule’, demanding passports remain valid for six months beyond travel dates. This particularly affects pre-Brexit red passport holders who may find their documents don’t have sufficient time remaining.
- Post-Brexit changes mean your passport must be less than 10 years old upon EU arrival. The expiry date must fall at least three months beyond your planned departure from the EU.
- The Schengen area includes: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
- Passports issued before October 1, 2018, may have additional months added to their expiry if renewed before complete expiration. Most people assume adult passports last exactly a decade, but this isn’t always the case.
- Travellers can verify passport compliance for specific destinations on GOV.UK by searching for their country and selecting ‘entry requirements’. You’re also limited to a maximum 90-day stay within any six-month period in the EU.
- Countries with six-month passport validity rules include the USA, Thailand, UAE, Australia, China, and Indonesia.
- READ THE FULL STORY: Red UK passport holders warned ahead of summer 2026 holidays