Brits are being urged to check their passport details before the busy summer season, as a survey reveals a staggering 80% are unaware of a basic passport rule. Travel insurance specialists at Saga warn that ignorance could lead to cancelled holidays and costly last-minute panics.
Passport rule confusion
The research, conducted by Saga Travel Insurance, surveyed 500 people and found that four out of five Brits did not know that different countries have different passport validity requirements. Half mistakenly believed every country requires six months remaining on a passport. Worryingly, 7% had previously been denied entry to a country due to insufficient passport validity.
Post-Brexit confusion persists, with half of those surveyed still unsure about visa and travel requirements for Europe. 16% did not know their passport expiry date, and 8% had expired passports at home. One mother lost £700 after being caught out by passport rules for a Greek holiday, missing her flight with family.
Expert advice
Michelle Cooper, Director of Travel Insurance at Saga, 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.” She added: “It’s important to check the specific rules of the country you’re travelling to. Some destinations require three months remaining on your passport, while others require six months.”
For EU destinations like Spain, Italy, or Greece, passports must be valid for at least three months after leaving the Schengen area and be less than 10 years old on entry. Turkey requires 150 days validity after arrival, while Australia only needs validity for the visit duration.
The 10-year rule
Michelle reminded travellers of the 10-year rule: “EU and Schengen countries require passports to be less than 10 years old on entry. While new passports last exactly ten years, those issued before 2018 remain valid for ten years and nine months. Check both issue and expiry dates before travelling.”
Frequent flyers should also check blank passport pages. Michelle said: “People focus on expiry dates and forget blank pages. Some destinations refuse entry if there’s no room for stamps. Regularly check and consider a passport with extra pages.”
