Brits heading on holiday to places like Spain, Turkey and France and other European countries, need to double-check something on their passport that has been known to put an end to holidays at the airport. Not being aware of this rule could lead to people being told to go home.
Kate Donnelly, a travel specialist from Liverpool (@Thedonnelleyedit), said: "Before you travel this summer, have you made this one important passport check? This continues to catch people out and it can actually mean that you are denied boarding when you get to the gate.
The thing that continues to catch people out is the 10-year rule. If you are a UK passport holder and you are travelling to any country in the Schengen zone since Brexit, you have to have less than 10 years on your passport on the day that you arrive in the country."
People who renewed their passports at any point after September 2018 don't really have to worry, as these documents will all follow the new rules and expire But, if your passport was issued before September 2018, you could face problems.
Kate said: "It's those who had your passport issued before 2018 that might have unused months from your previous one added on, meaning that your validity could be 10 years plus six months, 10 years plus nine months. And this is what's catching people out."
Most people just take a quick glance at the expiry date and assume they're good to go if it's not close to it. But, travellers need to compare it to the issue date as well as, although these passports are technically still valid, if they go over the 10-year limit by even one month, then they could risk missing out on their holiday.
Kate explains: "The issue month should be exactly the same as the expiry month. If it isn't, that is a way of knowing straight away that you have got additional months added on.
"You need to make sure that you don't use it beyond 10 years. If you are unsure of any of the passport rules for the country that you are travelling to, then you can always check this on the Government website."
Before September 2018, countries like the UK allowed up to nine unused months from an old passport to be added onto a renewal. Since Brexit, this no longer happens, and people who renew their document early will simply lose out on any remaining months - even if it is just one.
The government scrapped the 'rollover' policy specifically to prevent the confusion caused by the EU's 10-year rule. By ensuring no adult passport can ever be older than 10 years, it stops travellers from accidentally turning up at EU border control with invalid documents.
The final passports with carried-over months were issued in September 2018. Assuming these documents are taken to their maximum lifespan, the issue of having a passport that is 'too old' for Europe should end for Brits in June 2029, as all documents should have been issued on the post-September 2018 rules.
