Since the UK has left the European Union, some of the aspects of travelling within Europe for UK passport holders have changed.

Now, in addition to having to get your passport stamped upon entry/exit and soon, having to get a visa waiver (currently due for implementation in mid-2025), another change that appears to be catching travellers out of late is the ‘10-year passport rule’, which has had some travellers turned away at airports unable to board their flights.

Before Brexit, you could travel in Europe if your passport simply had a valid date of expiry, regardless of exactly when your passport was actually issued.

Now, many EU countries are likely to refuse you entry unless your UK passport:-

• Has a date of issue of less than 10 years before the day you enter the country
• Has a date of expiry of at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the country

These rules apply to the following EU and Schengen area countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Other countries outside of the above have different rules for the validity of passports so we always advise you to check your entry requirements in advance of travel.

If you feel your passport does not match these requirements, you will need to look into renewing your passport ahead of travelling. Please note that this can be quite a drawn-out and lengthy process if renewing during seasons of high demand, for example, the period before and during school summer holidays (May through to September.)