UK travellers heading to Europe will face a new £17 fee from late 2026 under the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). A travel expert has outlined key rules and common passport pitfalls.
Passport confusion among UK travellers
New research from Saga Travel Insurance, which polled 500 people across the UK, reveals widespread confusion about passport expiry rules and post-Brexit travel requirements. The survey found that 16% of respondents were unaware of when their passports expire, 10% had less than one year remaining, and 8% currently held expired passports. Furthermore, one in 14 holidaymakers (7%) had been refused entry to a country due to insufficient validity left on their passport.
Key passport rules after Brexit
Michelle Cooper, director of Travel Insurance at Saga, emphasised the importance of checking passport details before travelling. She said: "Nobody should have their holidays ruined because of a simple passport error. A few quick checks can help people avoid unnecessary stress, unexpected costs and disruption at the airport."
Half of holidaymakers (50%) still lack confidence in understanding visa and travel requirements for Europe after Brexit. Cooper explained that travellers can spend up to 90 days in the Schengen area within any rolling 180-day period, but the 180 days are counted backwards from each day spent in the EU. Frequent short breaks can push travellers over the limit, potentially leading to fines or a ban from re-entering.
The Schengen area comprises 29 European nations, including France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, where travellers can cross borders freely without routine passport checks.
The '10-year passport rule'
Confusion surrounding the '10-year passport rule' remains a hot topic online, with Reddit discussions amassing over 35,000 upvotes. Cooper clarified: "EU and Schengen countries require passports to be less than 10 years old on the day of entry. While all new passports last exactly ten years, passports issued before 2018 remain valid for 10 years and nine months. If you have an older passport, check both the issue date and expiry date before travelling."
ETIAS: New travel authorisation from late 2026
From late 2026, British holidaymakers heading to most European destinations will need to obtain approval through the new ETIAS system before departure. An exact start date has not yet been announced. The scheme mirrors the UK's own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system and will affect visa-exempt visitors travelling to 30 European nations for short trips of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Travellers will be charged a fee of €20 (approximately £17).
Cooper said: "Travellers may not realise that visiting Europe will soon involve an additional pre-travel authorisation step. From late 2026, British holidaymakers will need to apply for ETIAS approval before travelling to many popular European destinations."
The authorisation will be linked directly to the passport, meaning travellers could be denied boarding if their ETIAS details do not match their travel document or if the authorisation has expired. Most applications are expected to be processed within minutes, but it could take longer if additional checks are required. Holidaymakers are advised to apply well in advance to avoid last-minute disruptions.
Similar systems already exist elsewhere, such as the US ESTA. Cooper warned that travel insurance is unlikely to cover costs if someone is unable to travel due to failing to obtain valid ETIAS or ESTA approval.
