Passport validity query

[jane46b]

I have a British passport which is due to expire 16th Sept 2025

I have booked to travel to from the UK to Greece for 1 week on 6th May 2025

Do I need to renew my passport before this holiday?
I am finding conflicting information about whether you need 3 or 6 months left on your passport when you return to the UK so was wondering if anyone has any recent experience with this?

My holiday provider has advised there will be substantial fees to change the details (cancellation fees plus new booking which is now more expensive then when we booked, and effects the other people on the booking)

Thanks in advance.

You need 3 months on the date of your return. The 6 months comes in when you are staying there for 90 days, this is the 90 days plus 3 months

If I were you I would just renew it since you've got time?

Does your start date match your expiry dates excluding year to?

It's just the additional cost this is going to cost to me and the other girls (which I would absorb) on the holiday :-(

Yeah start date was exactly 10 years to expiry date

Also check the start date of your passport, any 'extra' they gave you when you applied for your passport can't be included in the three months.

So if you got it May 2015 it's only valid until May 2025, even if it states Sept 2025.

Husband works at the passport office and he says this is where most confusion arises and people get caught out.

Your passport is fine.

Confused as to why you are considering cancelling a holiday that's a year away.

It's 3 months OP, this is all the advice you need.. www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece/entry-requirements

Also, if your Travel Provider are claiming you need to cancel the booking to change your passport details they are taking the absolute piss.

Oh I'm definitely not cancelling. Love holidays have told me that to change the passport details that were provided at time of booking would incur a cancellation charge and rebooking. This is a girls trip - I'll be there either way

That's rubbish and can't be true, surely? So if you lost your passport and ordered a new one in plenty of time, you'd have to cancel your holiday and rebook??!

Either way, you'll have your 3 months so just travel and renew when you get back!

Another reason to avoid Love Holidays!

Who are the flights with OP? If easyJet for example you should be able to manage your booking directly with them using the booking reference and lead passenger surname. They're the only people who need your API info, a hotel or transfer provider won't ask for it from Love Holidays.

Thanks for the advice everyone.
I'll renew my passport on my return :-)

They are with Jet2.
You're right, I never thought of that. I just done the online chat with LH and they told me of the charges, probably at it!

But why? The OP would lose a year of passport validity for no reason at all.