UK travellers may not be aware of certain rules
British passport(Image: Leon Neal, Getty Images)
Those planning a holiday are being urged to check their passports, due to lesser-known travel rules that have come into effect post-Brexit. Anyone living in the UK will require a valid passport for international travel.
You can apply for a British passport if you’re a British citizen, a British overseas territories citizen, a British overseas citizen, a British subject, a British national (overseas), or a British protected person. To obtain a new or replacement document, an application must be submitted to HM Passport Office, with the current average processing time standing at three weeks or less.
Travellers should check their passport well ahead of any holiday plans. This is because you could be turned away at the airport if yours isn’t valid.
Alvaro Iturmendi from Confused.com said: “It is easier to get caught out than you might think. Our research found that less than half (43%) holidaygoers, know that if you are heading to the EU, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before your departure date.”
As Mr Iturmendi pointed out, all UK passport holders heading to the Schengen zone must make certain their passport’s “date of issue” is within 10 years of their arrival date. Furthermore, the passport’s “expiry date” must be at least three months beyond their intended departure from the Schengen zone
Should your passport fall short of entry requirements, you’ll almost certainly be refused boarding at your departure airport. So it’s absolutely worth double-checking yours immediately.
And if you need a replacement passport in a hurry, it could cost you as much as £235. The current estimated processing time is a maximum of three weeks, though government officials say it can sometimes take longer “if we need more information, or we need to interview you”.
Those to whom this applies will be contacted within the three-week timeframe. A standard adult passport, for those aged 16 and above, costs £94.50 when applying online, or £107 when using the paper application form.
If you need a passport urgently, a one-week fast track document costs up to £191 for an adult. A one-day premium service costs up to £235.