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Original poster

Passport rules to the EU. Did you know....

89 replies

Tailfeather · 27/06/2023 22:22

...that your passport needs to have been issued within the last 10 years? It's not just a case of it still being valid or having x amount of months left. I've had 2 friends in the last few weeks get to the airport and been denied their holiday as they weren't aware of this rule. And they can't claim on insurance. I've seen others I didn't know who were turned away at the boarding gate.

Maybe you did know. But I thought I would share, just in case it helps one other person.

OP posts:
Toottooot · 27/06/2023 22:27

Is this not pretty common knowledge now?

KnitMePurlMe · 27/06/2023 22:30

It’s been widely reported for well over a year 🤷‍♀️

cakeorwine · 27/06/2023 22:30

Toottooot · 27/06/2023 22:27

Is this not pretty common knowledge now?

I guess there are people who don't know until it's too late

What are the passport rules for visiting the EU? - Which? News

Since the UK left the European Union, your passport needs to fulfil two criteria when you visit Europe's Schengen zone.

  • It must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you enter
  • It must be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave
For example, if you’re entering Spain on 5 August 2023 and returning to the UK on 19 August, your passport needs to have been issued after 5 August 2013 and be valid until 19 November 2023.

What are the passport rules for travelling to Europe? - Which? News

Check your passport meets the EU’s post-Brexit requirements before you book a holiday 

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/eu-passport-renewal-expiry-rules-uk-aRaVG6j5PpyJ

St0nehenge · 27/06/2023 22:30

I didn't know this. I'm not British though, but hang on, when is a passport ever valid for longer than ten years? my children's were 5 years, and my daughter just got her first 10 year passport.

Were British passports once valid for the rest of your life?

KnitMePurlMe · 27/06/2023 22:31

It’s another Brexit benefit - it truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

Kendodd · 27/06/2023 22:31

Well we can thank the stupid fuckers who voted Leave for this.

Original poster
Tailfeather · 27/06/2023 22:31

Ok. Sorry. I wasn't aware and neither were my friends who didn't get to go on their holidays.

OP posts:
KnitMePurlMe · 27/06/2023 22:32

@St0nehenge no we’ve always had 10 yr passports but it’s slightly more complicated than that.

hauntedvagina · 27/06/2023 22:34

St0nehenge · 27/06/2023 22:30

I didn't know this. I'm not British though, but hang on, when is a passport ever valid for longer than ten years? my children's were 5 years, and my daughter just got her first 10 year passport.

Were British passports once valid for the rest of your life?

No, but if you renewed early, the additional months would be added on to the expiry date.

Alwayswonderedwhy · 27/06/2023 22:35

This is well known. You also get reminded when you book a flight to check your passport.

Blueey · 27/06/2023 22:36

St0nehenge · 27/06/2023 22:30

I didn't know this. I'm not British though, but hang on, when is a passport ever valid for longer than ten years? my children's were 5 years, and my daughter just got her first 10 year passport.

Were British passports once valid for the rest of your life?

Sometimes if you renewed before the expiry the extra months are added to your new passport, making it longer than ten years.

So if your previous passport expired in October 2013, but you renewed it in May 2013, your current passport could have an expiry of October 2023 but an issue date of May 2013, making it over ten years old for travel this summer.

TokenGinger · 27/06/2023 22:38

St0nehenge · 27/06/2023 22:30

I didn't know this. I'm not British though, but hang on, when is a passport ever valid for longer than ten years? my children's were 5 years, and my daughter just got her first 10 year passport.

Were British passports once valid for the rest of your life?

You were previously allowed to upgrade your British passport 6 months before it is due to end (I'm not sure if you still can, but I assume so).

So say for example, your passport is due to end 1 July 2024, you can apply to renew on 1 January 2024. The time remaining on your old passport is carried on to the new passport. So your new passport would be dated 6 January 2024, and would expire 1 July 2034. The 10 years for which it is valid is added to the end date of your old passport. However, EU countries will only accept it if it has been issued in the last 10 years, so in the eyes of those countries, the passport would only be valid until 6 January 2034, not July.

I hope that makes sense and hope I've explained correctly.

Kendodd · 27/06/2023 22:39

St0nehenge · 27/06/2023 22:30

I didn't know this. I'm not British though, but hang on, when is a passport ever valid for longer than ten years? my children's were 5 years, and my daughter just got her first 10 year passport.

Were British passports once valid for the rest of your life?

Say your passport expired in May 2020 and you sent it off to be renewed the January before, when you got your new passport back the expiry date would be May 2030, not Jan 2030. It was so you don't lose the few months of passport you paid for. Your passport would still have the issue date of January 2020 so would be valid for more than ten years.
They don't do it anymore .

PriamFarrl · 27/06/2023 22:40

There were lots of sad face news reports about this last year. The thing was that it didn’t matter when we were in the EU even though we weren’t in the Schengen zone. Now we are in neither it make travel harder.

dementedpixie · 27/06/2023 22:45

On the date you enter the EU your passport has to be within 10 years of the issue date. In the past up to 9 months could be added from the old passport but this no longer happens. These extra months aren't valid for travel in the EU now.

Your passport also needs to be valid for 3 months after you leave the EU and that's when you can go by the expiry date

Newjobformoremoney · 27/06/2023 22:46

I’m really surprised people have missed this. It’s been all over the news, Facebook etc.
yeah, it’s a nightmare. Thanks brexit.

dementedpixie · 27/06/2023 22:47

The extra months stopped being added in September 2018 so there will be issues every year until 2028

Delatron · 27/06/2023 22:48

It is worrying if people still don’t know this. So you’re right to bring it up again OP.

My friend missed a holiday on Feb as she didn’t check her passport. I had heard about it but I do think there should have been some massive public announcement as many holidays must have been ruined for those it passed by.

NoClueAboutDecorating · 27/06/2023 22:54

Plus you need 6 months of your passport left to travel? So mine says (for example) April 2014- May 2024, but actually it expires in April 2023. Plus I need 5 months, so I actually need to renew before October 2023? Is that correct? That’s quite scam-ish of them.

Thank you for posting this. I knew of the rules, but hadn’t thought through the practical implications.

NoClueAboutDecorating · 27/06/2023 22:54

I mean it actually expires in April 2024

NoClueAboutDecorating · 27/06/2023 22:55

Argh, plus I need 6 months. I’m typing on a small screen and should have checked for typos.

fairywhale · 27/06/2023 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

LaBefana · 27/06/2023 22:57

Toottooot · 27/06/2023 22:27

Is this not pretty common knowledge now?

It's been the source of numerous Reach Group sob stories for a while now.

LaBefana · 27/06/2023 22:58

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Is that you, Nigel Farage? Potty mouth.