You should double-check your passport ahead of time to guarantee a drama-free holiday.
Attention all red passport holders: you have been warned.
Many of us still have some much-needed vacation days to look forward to this summer, and amid packing your suitcase, arranging your luggage tag, and generally getting beach ready, you should make sure your passport is in order before your departure date.
If you renewed your passport after the UK left the EU in 2020, you’ll have a blue one and nothing to worry about – given it’s in good condition – but anyone with a red passport from before 2019 may be ‘at risk’ of being turned away at the airport.
To ensure that your passport is still valid, look at the date it was issued, which must be less than ten years before the date you visit the EU country.
The HM Passport Office has stopped issuing these red British passports before December 31, 2020.
This means that if you’re planning to fly off somewhere sunny to start off the New Year with a bang from January 1st onwards and your passport is slated to expire on March 31st, you’ll need to get a new passport before you travel because you’ll require at least three months beyond your departure date.
So, to avoid trouble at the airport when you’d rather be sipping some Prosecco, check the date of issue on your passport to determine if it was issued within 10 years of the date you arrive abroad.
Then, add three months to the date you intend to depart the country, and double-check to see if your passport expires after that.
If you discover that your passport is invalid, you have two alternatives moving ahead.
You can either apply for a passport renewal, which can take up to three weeks but may take longer during peak periods, or obtain an emergency travel document if your departure date is imminent.
An emergency travel document is normally available for pickup two working days after an application is paid for and received in the UK, so keep this in mind ahead of time.
A passport renewal costs £88.50 online or a slightly higher £100 if you fill out a paper form, while an emergency passport costs £100 non-refundable if you apply online.
