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Urgent warning to British passport holders visiting Europe this summer

Football March 21, 2025 02:39 PM

Brits have been urged to check their passports this summer following swathes of tourists who have been prevented from travelling. ABTA – The Travel Association is encouraging anyone thinking of jetting off to Europe later in the year to make sure their will still be valid by the time their trip comes around.

It might sound like an obvious reminder, but comes as people are still being stung by a change in rules for that came into effect more than four years ago. Currently, British passport holders travelling to the Schengen area – which is countries in the EU (except Ireland) as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City - need to make sure their passport meets two main validity requirements, which are independent of each other:

The passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date they enter the country.

The passport must be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in you being denied boarding. ABTA says there are still cases of people being turned away at the airport due to their passport not meeting the rules, which means they can't go on holiday and lose out financially.

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How to check your passport validity for Europe

Visit to find the passport rules for the country you're planning to visit.

Be aware that most countries in Europe will require your passport to have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country, so check the 'date of issue'.

Check the 'date of expiry' to make sure it has the required amount of months left when you return, as most countries in Europe will require at least three months' validity.

If you need to renew, applying online at is the cheapest way to do so.

In a statement sent to the , Graeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA – The Travel Association said: "It's quick to follow our four steps to make sure your passport is valid and you won’t be stopped from travelling. This is particularly important if your passport is due to expire in the next year or so.

"For extra peace of mind that you've got all your travel documentation in order, book with an ABTA member travel agent or tour operator who can guide you through the requirements and offer any other expert help and advice you might need."

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If you do need to renew your passport, it might be worth acting sooner rather than later. This is because ministers have reportedly green-lighted a decision to starting next month (April 10).

As d, proposals, which are subject to approval by Parliament, will see the standard fee for online passport applications jump from £88.50 to £94.50 for adults and from £57.50 to £61.50 for children. Postal applications will also increase by £7 to £107 for adults and by £5 to £74 for those under the age of 16 - while getting a premium one-day-turn around service will set you back a staggering £222 (from £207.50) for adults and £189 for children (from £176.50). The fee for a standard online application when applying for a UK passport while overseas will increase by £7 to £108 for adults and up to £70 for children, while overseas standard paper applications will increase from £112.50 to £120.50 for adults and £77 to £82.50 for children

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