A travel expert has urged Mirror readers to make sure to check a specific date on their passport long before shopping for their holiday, as it may well be far too late by the time they get to the airport
Travel experts have issued an urgent warning to Brits booking holidays: checking your passport’s expiry date is no longer enough
Sadly, for some Brits, this bad dream could well become a reality should they make the all too easy error of not checking their passport expiry date before jetting off to their dream destination. Under post-Brexit rules, your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you enter the EU.
Indeed, forgetting this all-important step could see you miss out on your trip altogether, and by the time you get to the airport, it could well be too late to salvage your holiday, even when dealing with the most sympathetic of staff members.
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According to information provided by the British High Commission in Singapore, the majority of countries in Asia require six months’ validity on passports, at least, for travellers to be allowed over the border.
While the British High Commission can issue Emergency Travel Documents (ETD) should passports fail to meet the required validity, it isn’t quite that simple. Indeed, some countries, Myanmar and Laos, don’t allow entry on an ETD, while others may require visas. Preparation, therefore, is absolutely key.
Travel expert Agustin Moreno, from Prestige Villas Spain, has now urged Mirror readers: “The most important thing is to check the validity of your passport before you book.
“Check the date of issue, not just the expiry date. Your passport needs to have been issued less than 10 years before you enter the country, and have at least three months of validity left after your planned departure date – and if either one of these conditions aren’t met, you can be denied boarding. Some countries, particularly in Asia, have a six-month validity rule, so you need to check the rules of where you’re going, and not just assume that three months is okay.”
“Busy parents will often overlook the validity of their children’s passports, which expire after five years compared to ten years for over 16s. Unfortunately, many families only twig when it comes to check-in time, resulting in the need to rebook flights and hotels, apply for ETDs for their kids, and potentially, visas. This all can prove costly and time-consuming, not what you want on a family holiday.”
The savvy expert continued: “Renewing a passport can take weeks, so it’s important that you make sure it’s renewed before booking, rather than leaving it to the last minute. With so many people planning their holidays for 2026, it can get even busier and take longer, so make sure you’re planning even further in advance than you think you might need.
“If you do unfortunately miss a flight because of issues with your passport, it can get expensive. Travel insurance is unlikely to cover you if you are denied boarding due to a lack of validity, as it is classed as traveller error or negligence.
“If you are denied boarding, request written confirmation from the airline, stating the reason. This evidence can help with things like credit card disputes, insurance claims where applicable, and even explaining your absence to your employer.”
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