Story about passports

[duvetdrama]

I just read on bbc app a story about a family who couldn't go on holiday because the passport of one of the passengers was older than 10 years (issue date not expiry date) I understand that but what I'm not getting is that she said she had her passport renewed early and months were 'added on' and it still wasn't valid. Do you not get a new issue date when you renew? My dh is in a similar position and I don't know how we resolve it. He was going to renew early and hopefully brand new issue date would be given but now I'm not so sure...

From memory I renewed early and had 9 months added on to the 10 year issue date. I think they now look at issue date and it needs to be less than 10 years ago. As such when mine gets close to 10 years I will need to renew rather than waiting for those extra 9 months to expire. Hope that makes sense.

If I'm understand you right (haven't seen the story) it sounds like she had the extra months added on when she last renewed, I think they used to add up to 9 if your previous passport hadn't expired.

To travel now she'd need to be within 10 years of the issue date at the time of travel (if issued February 2012 with an extra 9 months she wouldn't be able to travel now in April despite having 7 months 'left').

Some countries require you to have 3 or 6 months left and all be within the 10 years, others allow the 3 or 6 months left to be part of an addition, but you still need to actually travel within 10 years of issue.

It's complicated!

If your DH's passport is over 9.5 years old, he needs to renew it to go to quite a few countries. That's it. It sounds like it's taking a while to get passports through, too, so it would be worth doing it sooner if you're planning to travel any time in the near future.

In the past up to 9 months could be added on from the old passport. After brexit those extra months don't count for European travel as a passport can't be valid for more than 10 years. You count 10 years from the issue date and have to ignore the printed expiry date.

Hi issue date is Dec 2012 but he wants to renew early as we are going away in August so that will work??

Hi @dementedpixie. You say that the extra months don't count for European travel. Can I ask whether it's just EU or worldwide do you know? Thanks.

They no longer add the extra months on, so if he renews now and the passport is issued in May 2022 it will be valid until May 2032.

He needs to renew now to travel in August.

the 10 year thing is international standard. you meed to check the country you plan to travel to.

for most of europe 3 month validity must be left from the planned date of return.
should be fine.

Thanks everyone, I think he'll renew now anyway just to make sure 👍

Does anybody know if this applies to children's 5 year passports as well? My son's expiry date is Dec but renewal month was March....

I'm sure the 10 year rule applies to Europe and the rules changed for British travellers due to leaving the EU. I dont think the 10 year rule applies to other countries but you'd need to check for the country you are travelling to

No because even with the extra months it will still be valid for less than 10 years

I don’t think it applies to outside of the EU
depending on how urgent it is if you can afford it the one day renewal is excellent
you just upload a photo to the passport site book and pay for an appointment
turn up and collect the passport
I paid 177 for this but I needed my passport within a month and didn’t want to risk it not arriving