Since Britain left the European Union on 31 January 2020, rules around the ‘old style’, burgundy, British passports have changed. To save you getting caught out at the airport, here’s everything you need to know.
How to know if your passport is valid?
Any UK passports issued before the UK left the European Union are now only valid for ten years exactly from the issue date. This means that any extra months that have been added are no longer valid.
- E.g. If your passport is valid from 2 June 2015 and has an expiry date of 2 September 2025, the expiry date is actually 2 June 2025.
As well as this, most countries in the EU require you to have a minimum of six months left on your passport when you travel. This would mean that the last date you could return from your holiday using the above example would be 2 December 2024.
How to apply for a new passport
You can apply for a new passport online or by post. Applications using a paper form cost an extra £9.50 and can take longer to process than online applications.
How long will it take for your passport to arrive?
If you need to start the passport renewal process, it is best to do so in plenty of time before your travels. It can take around ten weeks for your new passport to arrive so make sure you give yourself enough time.
How much will your passport cost?
Costs start at £75.50 for an adult passport and £49 for a child passport. Did you know, you can also apply for a passport with extra pages if you’re a frequent traveller?
Is there anything else you should know?
Please ensure to check the specific travel rules and entry requirements issued by government services at your time of travel.
Make sure you don’t get caught out by the passport expiry rule change, and share this article with anyone you know who may be travelling soon!
Facebook
Twitter
Email 
