checks

Every year, Brits end up stranded at the airport due to issues with their passports but you can make sure you’re not one of them by making these 6 vital checks now

There’s nothing quite like that holiday excitement as you arrive at the airport, ready to jetset off somewhere sunny and get a well-deserved week or two off. However, every year thousands of Brits get caught out with documents that are invalid; and it means their trip gets cut short.

Not only can you be denied boarding on your flight, but your travel insurance is unlikely to cover the costs if you can’t travel because of invalid documents including your passport.

Luckily, we’re here to help as we’ve rounded up six vital passport checks to do now, so if there’s anything amiss you have plenty of time to get it fixed ahead of the summer (and avoid the pre-summer rush that the Passport Office always faces).

Check out our top tips below…

1. Validity duration

This one often catches holidaymakers out. When travelling to the EU, Brits need passports with at least three months validity, and the key thing to remember is this is based on your return date, not your departure. For example, if you’re on holiday from July 25 to August 1, your passport will need to be valid until at least November 1 2026.

Some countries such as Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore require six months of validity, so always check before you book your trip.

It’s also worth remembering that child passports only last for five years, not ten, so for those travelling with kids these checks are especially important.

2. The 10 year rule

The ’10 year rule’ often catches Brits out at the airport. Pre-Brexit, passports that were renewed before expiry could carry over a certain amount of validity. This meant some passports issued before September 2018 were valid for as long as ten years and nine months. Passports issued after this date are valid for ten years only.

However, since Britain has left the EU, UK passport holders are now classed as third-country nationals, meaning all passports must be issued less than 10 years before your departure date. This means some holidaymakers with older passports are being caught out, as while they may have enough validity on their passport, the document could be over ten years old.

If your passport will be passing the ten year mark soon, make sure you get it renewed before you go.

3. Damage

Even minor damage to a passport can see you denied boarding. According to the Passport Office, a passport is considered damaged if:

• you cannot read any of your details
• any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing
• there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover
• the cover is coming away
• there are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage)

You can replace a damaged passport online at a cost of £94.50 for adults. While this might sound pricey, it’s often cheaper than the expenses that come with being denied boarding. Keep your passport in a plastic wallet to protect it from damage.

4. Number of blank pages

With many countries moving away from manual stamps and onto more sophisticated processes such as the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), you might assume that you don’t need to check the number of pages left in your passport.

However, most countries still require a certain amount of blank space, and many EU countries are still making the switch to EES, so Brits may find they still need to get their passport stamped. EU destinations including Germany, Italy, and Belgium require two blank pages for stamps, some long haul destinations in Africa ask for four, while Nambia holds the record with visitors asked to present six blank pages.

A standard adult passport comes with 34 blank pages, but frequent travellers can opt for a 54-page passport which costs £107.50 instead of the standard £94.50 fee.

5. Signature

It’s something most of us forget to do when a new passport arrives, but make sure you sign it. An unsigned passport can be rejected as invalid, and it takes just a couple of seconds to do.

While it’s not a legal requirement, take some time to fill in your emergency contacts too. This is important in case of an accident, and could also be useful if your passport gets recovered after being lost or stolen.

READ MORE: Cheapest dates to travel during the 6-week summer holidays – including ‘golden’ weekREAD MORE: EasyJet, Jet2 and BA cabin bag rules as big Ryanair change kicks in ahead of half term

6. Correct passport

It may sound obvious, but it’s easy to accidentally pick up the wrong passport and not realise until your train is halfway to the airport. A quick check before you leave could save a lot of hassle.

When you renew your passport and the old one is returned, consider shredding and disposing of the expired document. Never store your old passport alongside the new one, otherwise this could lead to a costly mix-up when you head out to catch your flight.

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