A British traveler has revealed how he was blocked from boarding a flight to France – due to new post-Brexit passport regulations.
The trip to the airport for Nathan Barnes, who was traveling with his fiancée to visit family in Limoges, was initially completely normal. After checking in online for the flights, he passed through security without any problems.
But the 31-year-old Norwich paramedic was stopped at the boarding gate and told that because his passport was more than 10 years old – although it had not yet expired – he could not fly .
“They were very realistic about it. They just said, ‘Sorry you can’t board, go ahead, Dad,’ Nathan. told BBC. “I was gutted, really surprised. We checked in online and thought everything was fine.
The nitpicky “10-year rule” has been introduced since Britain left the EU – and Nathan is not the only one to have fallen victim to it. Here, we’ve explained everything you need to know about this and other surprising passport regulations. Plus, you’ll find some handy travel tips for paying less for renewals and avoiding scams.
DON’T GET CATCHED BY EU RULES
When traveling to the EU, UK holidaymakers should be aware of the ’10 year rule’ and pay close attention to the issue date and expiry date of their passport.
When traveling to the EU, a 10-year British passport is only valid for entry for exactly 10 years after the date of issue, regardless of the expiry date.
Prior to September 2018, passport holders could have up to nine months added to their passport’s expiry date if they renewed their passport 10 years early. However, after Brexit, even though the official validity of your passport may exceed 10 years, the EU does not recognize these additional months if your passport is more than 10 years old on the date of your entry into the EU. Additionally, your passport must also have a validity of at least three months beyond the date you intend to leave the Schengen free movement territory of the EU.
This means that visitors should pay close attention to the issue date and expiration date.
For example, if you enter the EU from the UK on April 1, 2024 and return on April 5, 2024, you must have a passport issued less than 10 years before April 1 and valid for at least three months after April 5 . .
To make sure you don’t get caught out and for more details on EU passport rules, search for “documents you need to travel to Europe” on home-affairs.ec.europa.eu or visit www.abta.com.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Some holidaymakers have been unable to board their flights and trains due to confusion over EU passport rules.
Always check the specific entry requirements for the country you are visiting on the gov.uk website before traveling – rules regarding passport validity vary from country to country.
For example, while most countries like Australia, Canada, and the United States simply require your passport to be valid for the duration of your stay, other countries like China, Thailand, Egypt and Turkey need at least six months. As mentioned previously, you will need at least three months of validity on your passport from the day you are expected to leave the EU.
COUNT YOUR BLANK PAGES
If your passport is full of stamps and there is almost no room left, you need to renew it, even if you have several years left. Indeed, some countries can be picky about passports with filled pages. For example, Italy and South Africa require at least two completely blank pages.
SAVE YOUR MONEY
Travelers can apply online or by mail to renew their passport – this can take up to three weeks to arrive.
There’s an easy way to save money when renewing your passport: apply online instead of by mail.
The current fees for a standard online application made from the UK are £82.50 for adults and £53.50 for children. Postal applications, meanwhile, cost £93 for adults and £64 for children. In general, the way you choose to renew your passport could end up costing a family of four £40 more than expected.
However, in April the cost is due to the increase. A standard online application made from the UK is expected to cost £88.50 for adults and £57.50 for children, while a standard postal application is expected to increase to £100 for adults and 69 £ for children.
These price changes are still subject to parliamentary approval, but if given the green light they will come into force from April 11.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Your passport will usually be issued within three weeks if you apply in the UK, but customers are advised to apply in time before traveling, according to gov.uk.
Although it may take longer than three weeks, if the passport office requires more information, customers will be notified within this three-week time frame.
SHORT ON TIME ?
If travelers are short on time, there are two ways to apply for an urgent passport.
There are two ways to apply for an urgent passport. The first is the ‘one day bonus‘, in which customers will be invited to make an appointment at the nearest passport office, apply and pay online. They will receive their new passport during their appointment.
The second is the one-week “fast track” service, customers can make an appointment at the nearest passport office, apply and pay online, and a new passport is delivered to their home within seven days following, excluding public holidays. You need to act quickly, however, because the appointment slots at the passport office – lasting around 10 minutes each – fill up quickly.
The one-day premium service will cost you £193.50 for an adult passport, while the one-week expedited service costs £155 for an adult passport.
If you need a passport to travel urgently for healthcare or because a loved one is seriously ill or has died, it is recommended that you call the Passport Adviceline instead.
SCAMS TO WATCH FOR
In April last year, holidaymakers were warned to be wary of fraudsters exploiting passport delays caused by industrial action by UK passport office workers by offering fake ‘fast track’ services.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has warned that fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated and convincing methods to trick travelers into paying for non-existent services.
The CTSI said it had seen a number of text messages and emails offering rapid passport renewals, warning that victims could lose personal data to fraudsters as well as money.
CTSI chief executive John Herriman said: “As always, scammers are quick to seize any opportunity to take advantage of uncertainty and upheaval. Exploiting delays caused by Passport Office strikes is just the latest example of scammers preying on people’s vulnerabilities.
Rory Boland, editor-in-chief of which? Travel, said: “Since we left the EU, passport validity rules for UK citizens traveling to the EU and Schengen area have changed, and unfortunately many people are getting caught out – sometimes even at the boarding gate.
“If you are booking a holiday or need to travel soon, make sure you check your passport as soon as possible, as there are two rules you need to keep in mind. You must have at least three months remaining on your passport when you plan to leave the EU and, importantly, when you enter, your passport must have been issued within the last ten years.
“If you get caught when you have to fly, your options are unfortunately very limited, and it could turn out to be a costly mistake, as travel insurance won’t cover you. If you find out close to your departure date, you may be able to get a last-minute priority passport appointment – but these are expensive and there is no guarantee that your local office will be available. You’ll also need to factor in the costs of rebooking flights, and possibly accommodation and car rentals.