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.
If you do not declare banned food products, you could be fined up to £5,000
If you do not declare banned products, you could be fined up to £5,000(Image: kyotokushige via Getty Images)
With Easter on the horizon, many Brits will likely jet off abroad for some much-needed sunshine. However, it’s crucial to be aware of the rules on returning to England, as a single mistake could result in a hefty fine.
You may be surprised to learn that this pertains to what you’re allowed to pack in your suitcase. While there are no restrictions on bringing food items such as bread, biscuits, and chocolate, other products are either banned or require declaration.
Generally, the rules regarding the importation of meat, dairy, fish, and other animal products into Britain largely depend on their country of origin. At present, there are tight restrictions on importing certain meat or dairy products from any EU country into Great Britain for personal use.
This ban is part of an effort to prevent further spread of animal-related diseases following recent outbreaks in Europe. It specifically applies to the following food items:
Mutton
Goat
Venison
Other products made from these meats, for example, sausages
Milk and dairy products like butter, cheese and yoghurt
Pork
Beef
Lamb
However, it is understood that holidaymakers can still bring fish, poultry, eggs, or honey from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland for personal use.
Food restrictions for nations beyond the EU are somewhat more stringent. Existing regulations stipulate that travellers cannot bring back any meat or meat products, or milk or dairy products.
Exemptions do exist, particularly for powdered infant milk, baby food or anything required for medical purposes. Additional Government guidance has also clarified that you may bring in ‘up to 2kg per person’ of:
Honey
Powdered infant milk, infant food, or special food (including pet food) needed for medical reasons – you can only bring it in if it does not need to be refrigerated before use, and is in branded, unopened packaging (unless in current use)
Shellfish, such as mussels or oysters
Snails – these must be preserved or shelled, cooked and prepared
Frogs’ legs – these must be the back (hind) part of the frog with the skin and internal organs removed
Insect meat
Travellers may bring up to ’20kg per person in total of fish’ too, including:
Fresh fish – must be gutted
Fish products
Processed fish – must be dried, cooked, cured or smoked
Lobsters
Prawns
It is vital to understand that the Government also enforces restrictions concerning plant products. Holidaymakers are permitted to transport fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds from the EU, Switzerland, or Liechtenstein into the UK.
However, restrictions vary considerably for countries beyond the EU. The Government’s advice continued: “You cannot bring in most fruit or vegetables unless you have a ‘phytosanitary’ (plant health) certificate for them. You can get a certificate from the plant health authorities in the country you’re leaving.”
Anyone travelling to the UK from countries outside the EU can only take these items back without a certificate:
Pineapple
Kiwi
Coconut
Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit
Kumquat
Persimmon
Durian
Curry leaves
Banana and plantain
Mango
Dates
Passion fruit
Guava
Processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads or frozen plant material
Peeled and processed nuts or nut butters
Certain grains, such as rice
“If you declare banned food products to Border Force officers at customs, they’ll take them away and destroy them,” the Government has added, according tothe Express. “If you do not declare banned food products, you could be fined up to £5,000 (in England) or you could be prosecuted.
“Border Force can take away (‘seize’) your products if they think: you’ve brought something into the country illegally, you’ve brought in too much of a restricted product, it’s been cross-contaminated, for example with blood from meat – if any clothing or a bag the item’s in is contaminated, it’ll be destroyed.
“If you’re not sure about any of the products you’re bringing in, speak to a Border Force officer in the ‘red channel’ at customs or on the red point phone.”
For more information, head to the Government’s website here.
What other items face no restrictions?
You are allowed to bring the following items into Great Britain from any country without restrictions:
Bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products
Cakes without fresh cream
Biscuits
Chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
Pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
Packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
Processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
Food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules
The Foreign Office has issued a travel warning to British tourists as Spain and Portugal face a red weather alert for extreme conditions this half term
14:11, 04 Feb 2026Updated 14:13, 04 Feb 2026
Chairs are pictured floating in a flooded street of Alcacer do Sal, south of Portugal, during Leonardo storm on February 4(Image: Getty Images)
The Foreign Office has issued an urgent warning to British holidaymakers heading to two of the nation’s most beloved destinations. A red alert has been declared by state meteorological agencies for Spain and Portugal, with hazardous weather conditions forecast for the coming weeks as thousands of Brits prepare to travel during half term.
Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued a red warning for severe rainstorms across Malaga Province on Wednesday, 4 February, with predictions suggesting rainfall accumulations could exceed 150 litres per square metre within 12 hours and surpass 200 litres per square metre over 24 hours in inland regions.
Schools throughout Andalucia will remain shut on Wednesday as a precautionary measure against the extreme weather. The red alert, indicating “extraordinary danger”, will remain active in the Ronda region from midnight onwards for the entire day.
AEMET has warned that storm conditions are anticipated to persist until mid-February. The Foreign Office stated: “Heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong coastal winds are expected across the country until Sunday 8 February, with an increased risk of flash flooding, landslides and travel disruption. Follow advice of local authorities and monitor weather updates on the European Meteorological Services website. “
In its guidance to travellers, the Foreign Office stated: “Once the event has happened, you should be aware of possible risks relating to damaged buildings or other infrastructure. Be aware that events in places away from where you are can still cause disruption, such as through loss of power, communications or transport services.”
“It may take time for airports to re-open and there may be serious shortages of accommodation, food, water and health facilities. It may be harder for you to receive help from humanitarian workers if it is difficult to access the area due to transport infrastructure damage or flooding.
“The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) ability to help British nationals may be limited (perhaps severely) in these circumstances. We cannot ensure your safety and security in another country. The relevant authorities in the country or territory you are in are responsible for your safety and security.”
Storm Leonardo, the sixth significant low-pressure system to strike in 2026, is set to batter Andalusia once more, with Malaga squarely in its sights. In its most recent bulletin, AEMET has escalated the rainfall alert to red for the province.
According to weather experts at Meteored, “By the end of the coming early morning, very intense rain will begin in the west and far south of Andalucia. It will continue throughout the morning, spreading to the rest of the southern community. In the afternoon, the most intense precipitation will occur in the eastern area, from the Strait to Almeria, with a strong westerly maritime storm.”
In Malaga, the Costa del Sol, the Guadalhorce region, and Axarquia, Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET has issued an orange warning for rainfall accumulations of between 90 and 100 litres in 12 hours. The agency warned: “Accumulations exceeding 150 litres in 24 hours may be reached in the western half of the zone. In the rest, accumulations of 40 litres in 12 hours are expected,”.
AEMET has also issued its highest level of alert, a Red Advisory, for heavy rain in Cádiz and parts of Málaga province for Wednesday, February 4. The advisory warns of 150mm of rain in 12 hours and 200mm in 24 hours in some inland areas.
Due to the severe weather threat, all schools in Andalusia will be closed on Wednesday. Additionally, a series of yellow alerts and amber warnings have been activated, as the regions brace for a battering.
The alerts arrive as Portugal and Spain prepare themselves for additional downpours with Storm Leonardo set to hit this week, meteorologists have confirmed. Following several weeks of damp and occasionally blustery conditions, Storm Leonardo is forecast to deliver further precipitation to the Iberian Peninsula, with particularly severe rainfall anticipated throughout Andalusia, weather experts have warned.
