With Theresa May’s Brexit plan rejected by MPs and a no-deal exit looking increasingly likely, Brits are being urged to check their passport validity if they’re planning on travelling within Europe any time soon.
In the event of a no-deal Brexit on 29 March, Brits have been advised they’ll need six months on their passport from the date they arrive. Failure to renew could mean people are denied entry to popular holiday destinations including France, Germany, Spain and Italy.
The passport office estimates it takes, on average, three weeks to process a renewal application, so today [8 March] is the cut-off date if you need new documents on the day we leave the EU.
It’s worth noting that consumer group Which? warned that people with up to 15 months left on their passport could also be denied entry to many popular destinations in Europe.
If you’re a little confused, the government has created a tool to check whether you have enough time left on your passport for your destination of choice. Enter your passport details and date to travel, and it’ll let you know whether you need to renew.
[Read More: How will a no-deal Brexit affect travel?]
Which? travel editor Rory Boland said anyone who is refused travel because their passport isn’t valid will not be entitled to rebooking, compensation or a refund – so they’ll be left completely out of pocket.
If you renew a passport before it has expired, up to nine extra months may be added to your new passport’s expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the six months that should be remaining for travel to most countries in Europe.
The new rules will apply to passports issued by the UK, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.
They will apply for travel to and between countries in the Schengen area. These are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The rules do not apply when travelling to Ireland.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania are not in the Schengen area. You should check the entry requirements for these countries.
The European Commission confirmed that UK citizens would have to pay €7 for a travel permit as part of the European Travel Information and Authorisation Scheme (Etias) if there is no deal – essentially, this is a form of visa.
It costs £75.50 to renew or replace your passport if you apply online or £85 if you fill out a paper form.
You must be aged 16 or over (or turning 16 in the next 3 weeks) if you want an adult passport. There’s a different process to get a passport for a child.