British holidaymakers have been urged to check their passports carefully before travelling to Europe this summer, as an overlooked rule could see them turned away at the airport. Travel agent Jake, known as Travel Agent Jake on TikTok, has warned that many people are making a costly mistake by assuming their passport is valid based solely on the expiry date.
Under EU regulations, passports must have been issued within the last 10 years on the day of entering the EU. This means that if your passport was renewed early and extra months were added, those extra months may not count towards the validity period. As Jake explained, your passport is not valid for EU travel beyond 10 years from the issue date, even if the expiry date is later.
The official rules, set out on the Your Europe website, state: 'If you are a national from a country outside the EU wishing to visit or travel within the EU, you will need a valid passport and possibly a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months after the date you intend to leave the EU, and it must have been issued within the last 10 years.'
Travellers are advised to verify both the issue date and the expiry date of their passport before booking or departing. Failure to do so could result in being denied boarding and losing the cost of the holiday. The advice applies to all non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen area.
