Emergency! Can anyone tell me if my passport is in date?!

[BelloItalia]

Due to fly to Italy in 5 weeks. My passport was issued October 2016. It’s valid until March 2027

however!! My cousin recently got turned away from the airport travelling to Germany despite having loads of time on their passport (over a year). Now DH has just been told the same thing has happened to his mate (going to Holland)

I’ve checked the government website and it says passport must have been issued within the past 10 years and it must have at least 3 months on it by date of return -

mine was issued 9 years ago and has a year left on it - am I ok?

I really can’t afford to be turned back at the airport - really hoping someone can help.

TUI calculator on their website reckons it’s fine but we’ve not booked with them

Yes it is fine until next year

Yeah, valid until Oct 2026

You’ve answered the question in your own post.

passport must have been issued within the past 10 years and it must have at least 3 months on it by date of return -

mine was issued 9 years ago and has a year left on it

Valid till October 26, not March 27.

for eu you are fine for this holiday. if going elsewhere check their requirements.

Hang on, your passport had more than 10 years on it. Isn't this now a problem?
I'm sure I've seen reports of issues with passports of more than 10 years.

Just take the date it was issued, and add 9 years and 9 months. If that is after the date you will return, then you are all good.

Where the confusion comes is, when renewing a passport in the UK, the passport office either used to, or still do, add whatever remains of your current passport being renewed onto the new one. This is now ignored by other European countries.

So, an example would be that you are renewing a passport with six months remaining on it. Your new passport gets issued with an expiry date ten years and six months from the date of issue. This extra six months is effectively useless depending where you travel.

Your passport does not have a year left on it, though.

I agree valid to October 2026 (10 years from x date issued Oct 2016)

I think the reason some people are being turned away is that they're using upto the additional max 9 (?) months you used to get given on a passport so you could have one with 10 years 9 months from date of issue on it but sone EU countries no longer accept this for a UK passport .

Yes it does.

I think these days when you review your UK passport you only get it gir 10 years exactly and no longer do they add any months on from prior passport

Nine is under ten

@Cabbagefamily yes it does. It’s valid for EU travel until October 26 not 25.

There are restrictions, but you should be fine 🙂

*Edit: sorry, I forgot images are getting previewed, it is basically just an article explaining the passport rule.

My son's passport expired Jan 26 but was issued in April 2015 so 9 months carried over. He was denied boarding to Norway. The passport cannot be more than 10 years old so his effectively now expires Apr 25 as the extra 9 months are discounted. It is this "new" expiry date issue that is causing problems. I'd get it renewed though sounds as if it expires October this year then you might just be ok for the 6 months left.

No it expires October 26 now as it was issued in October 16. Extra months cannot be counted now as my son found out

Ignore me @ScrewedByFunding 2026 is next year not this year

I work for an airline you have 10 years from the date it was issued so October 2026 you are perfectly fine.

Haha I will do!

your cousin is telling porkies!

Do also consider that some countries require you to have at least 3-6 months on your passport after your intended date of return. So be careful to check requirements of your destination from about April 2026 onwards.

Yes it’s valid until Oct 2026 but some
countries need 6 months from your return flight left on it so would renew it April 26 if you need to use it between then and October.

For your trip in 5 weeks it’s fine

For anyone renewing fees go up on 10 April

Thanks everyone, I feel suitably reassured ☺️

100% fine for travel to Europe before the 10th ‘birthday’ of your passport in October 2026. The 3 months you need to have remaining before expiry can be the ‘extra’ months that were added when it was issued.

I work for a Tour Operator and am 100% confident of my knowledge on this 👍🏻