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Original poster

To wonder if I'm going to have issues with my passport?

31 replies

PinataHeeHaw · 16/05/2025 12:42

I'm travelling to Spain in July. My passport was issued April 2015 and expires November this year.

Current rules say you must be returning to the UK within 3 months of the expiry date of your passport, which is fine, but also say that your passport should have an issue date of less than ten years before the date of travel. That means I'll be three months outside of these rules. Getting a new passport is almost £100. I'm going to have to get a new passport aren't I, even though it doesn't officially expire until November?

OP posts:
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dementedpixie · 16/05/2025 23:10

Hollyhobbi · 16/05/2025 23:06

Just curious why yer passports are for 10 and a half years? I’m Irish and all our passports are 10 years except for children’s passports.

Up until 2018, extra months remaining from old passports could be added to the new passport making it valid for up to 10y 9months. Since Brexit those extra months are no longer recognised for travel in the EU

Hollyhobbi · 16/05/2025 23:06

Just curious why yer passports are for 10 and a half years? I’m Irish and all our passports are 10 years except for children’s passports.

dementedpixie · 16/05/2025 23:01

snoopyfanaccountant · 16/05/2025 22:55

The EU no longer recognises time carried from a previous passport so your passport expires 10 years from the date it was issued and you need that expiry date minus 3 months as your return date.

Wrong
The 10 year rule is separate from the 3 month remaining rule.

  1. On the date of entry you need to be within the 10 year period (look at issue date)
  2. You need 3 months remaining when you leave the EU but this includes any extra months and doesn't have to be deducted from the 10 years calculated in number 1)
dementedpixie · 16/05/2025 22:55

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 16/05/2025 22:36

Sorry I should have said date you could have travelled to Europe was January. Some countries outside of Europe will recognise the extra months.

Show quote history

She was able to enter the EU until April 2025 as it only needs to be under 10 years old at that point (count 10 years from issue date)

The extra months can be counted towards the 3 months you need to be remaining when you leave the EU (look at expiry date)

snoopyfanaccountant · 16/05/2025 22:55

The EU no longer recognises time carried from a previous passport so your passport expires 10 years from the date it was issued and you need that expiry date minus 3 months as your return date.

endofthelinefinally · 16/05/2025 22:53

Do it now, online. Mine took 5 days and cost about £80. There is an app you can download to get the photo approved. you pay about £5 and they check your photo, send you a code to upload onto your application and they send you 4 hard copies of your photo.

CursiveCrisis · 16/05/2025 22:47

Do it now, I applied early April and it was only approved today. My documents were received on the 22nd April, I wouldn’t be hanging about.

Edited to add: It was approved today, hasn’t been printed or posted yet, so maybe another week or so to wait.

TheNightingalesStarling · 16/05/2025 22:44

It has been clarified the two rules are actually separate.
It has to be less than 10 years from issue, and have three months from expiry for travel in Europe. Thats why you could travel in April, but not now.

summerscomingsoon · 16/05/2025 22:42

Your passport expired in January for travel to Europe. It's only valid for 10 years and you need 3 clear months remaining on it

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 16/05/2025 22:36

PinataHeeHaw · 16/05/2025 22:33

But I used it in April.

Show quote history

Sorry I should have said date you could have travelled to Europe was January. Some countries outside of Europe will recognise the extra months.

Original poster
PinataHeeHaw · 16/05/2025 22:33

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 16/05/2025 14:27

Yes, the last date you could have travelled on your current passport would have been in January this year.

But I used it in April.

OP posts:
CountryQueen · 16/05/2025 17:39

dementedpixie · 16/05/2025 16:03

There are threads every year where people are waiting on passports at the last minute or they've realised last minute that it's expired

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Yeah I know. That’s what I said.

Don’t recall any that sent off months in advance though. The OP does not need to pay extra

dementedpixie · 16/05/2025 16:03

CountryQueen · 16/05/2025 15:59

Do we? Don’t recall any, just people panicking because they’ve realised very late in the day. Maybe you can link some though

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There are threads every year where people are waiting on passports at the last minute or they've realised last minute that it's expired

CountryQueen · 16/05/2025 15:59

VickyEadieofThigh · 16/05/2025 13:57

And yet every year we get threads on here by people who sent off for a new passport at least 2 months in advance, are flying in a xouple of days and it hasn't arrived.

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Do we? Don’t recall any, just people panicking because they’ve realised very late in the day. Maybe you can link some though

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 16/05/2025 14:27

Yes, the last date you could have travelled on your current passport would have been in January this year.

abricotine · 16/05/2025 14:25

Yes, and this has been the subject of extensive media coverage since brexit.

Normandy144 · 16/05/2025 14:24

You do need a new passport but you do have plenty of time. That being said I wouldn't delay but you don't need to pay for the express service.

I recently applied for mine and this was the timeline (and mine had a name change).
30th April - applied online and sent documents to post office same day.
13th May - new passport arrived in the post.

So just under 2 weeks.

TheNightingalesStarling · 16/05/2025 13:59

Officially your passport has expired.

VickyEadieofThigh · 16/05/2025 13:57

CountryQueen · 16/05/2025 13:48

8 day turnaround recently. OP has plenty of time

Show quote history

And yet every year we get threads on here by people who sent off for a new passport at least 2 months in advance, are flying in a xouple of days and it hasn't arrived.

Jackiebrambles · 16/05/2025 13:50

It’s already expired, so yes you need a new one now!

CountryQueen · 16/05/2025 13:48

VickyEadieofThigh · 16/05/2025 12:48

Yes you are - and I'd go for the fastest service available if I were you, because we're now in the busiest time of year at the passport offices.

8 day turnaround recently. OP has plenty of time

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 16/05/2025 12:54

You need a new passport.

EggyBreads · 16/05/2025 12:52

Yes you are - apply asap for a new one. I renewed recently and it only took a week. To be on the safe side if I were you I’d pay for the fast track service.

VickyEadieofThigh · 16/05/2025 12:48

Yes you are - and I'd go for the fastest service available if I were you, because we're now in the busiest time of year at the passport offices.

rubyslippers · 16/05/2025 12:48

PinataHeeHaw · 16/05/2025 12:42

I'm travelling to Spain in July. My passport was issued April 2015 and expires November this year.

Current rules say you must be returning to the UK within 3 months of the expiry date of your passport, which is fine, but also say that your passport should have an issue date of less than ten years before the date of travel. That means I'll be three months outside of these rules. Getting a new passport is almost £100. I'm going to have to get a new passport aren't I, even though it doesn't officially expire until November?

you need a new passport now
i know it’s expensive but it’s then done - I did mine recently online and it took a week

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