The government has issued a warning
12:56, 19 Aug 2025Updated 17:19, 20 Aug 2025
The government has issued a warning to all Brits who are planning to travel abroad in the coming weeks(Image: Kypros via Getty Images)
Holidaymakers planning trips in the coming weeks and months are being urged to check their passports due to lesser-known travel rules implemented post-Brexit. Anyone residing in the UK will require a valid passport for international travel.
British citizens, British overseas territories citizens, British overseas citizens, British subjects, British nationals (overseas), or British protected persons can all apply for a British passport.
To obtain a new or replacement passport, an application must be submitted to HM Passport Office, with the current average processing time being three weeks or less.
As we enter the final weeks of the summer holidays, experts at Confused.com are advising travellers to verify their passport details. Alvaro Iturmendi remarked: “Nothing ruins the end-of-summer buzz faster than being turned away at the airport because your passport is not valid.
“It is easier to get caught out than you might think. Our research found that less than half (43%) holidaygoers, know that if you are heading to the EU, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before your departure date.”, reports Belfast Live.
As Mr Iturmendi outlined, all UK passport holders journeying to the Schengen zone must verify their passport’s “date of issue” occurs within 10 years of their arrival date. Furthermore, the passport’s “expiry date” must be at least three months beyond their intended departure from the Schengen zone, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Should your passport not satisfy entry criteria, you’ll almost certainly be refused at your departure airport. Therefore, it’s certainly worthwhile examining yours immediately.
Should you need a replacement passport urgently, it could cost you up to £222.
The present estimated processing time is a maximum of three weeks, although government representatives caution it can sometimes take longer “if we need more information, or we need to interview you”.
Individuals affected by this will be contacted within the three-week timeframe. From April 10, a standard adult passport, for those aged 16 and above, costs £94.50 when submitted online, or £107 when submitted via the paper application.