The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a latest warning to Britons who plans to go to the European Union (EU) within the approaching months. Since Brexit rules got here into force in 2021, British travellers must meet quite a few specifications in the event that they wish to visit the bloc, including strict passport rules.
In a recent update for countries including popular holiday destinations resembling Spain, France, Portugal and Greece, the FCDO has urged Britons to “check your passport” if it was “issued before October 1, 2018.”
The FCDO explains: “You should check your passport meets these requirements before you travel.
“In case your passport was issued before October 1, 2018, extra months can have been added to its expiry date.”
British passport holders hoping to go to an EU country must ensure each their “date of issue” and “expiry date” meet specifications.
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The FCDO states: “For those who are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you could follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
“Your passport should be issued lower than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’) and valid for no less than three months after the day you intend to depart (check the ‘expiry date’).”
In case your passport doesn’t meet these rules, you might want to apply for a latest passport before travelling to the countries affected.
Gov.uk states: “In case your passport doesn’t meet these rules, you might want to apply for a latest passport before travelling to the countries affected.
“Be sure that you apply in loads of time. If you might want to, you possibly can apply to get a passport urgently.
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Why are there latest passport rules in place for the UK?
The EU sets out passport requirements for visitors from “third countries”.
These rules are usually not latest and never unique to British passport holders.
Nonetheless, because the UK selected to depart the union, it’s now considered a “third country” and due to this fact must follow the foundations set out for such nations.
When should I apply for a latest passport?
In case your passport doesn’t meet the set-out requirements or is approaching its expiration date, it is best to apply for a latest travel document as soon as possible.
Typically, the Government says a passport should take as much as 10 weeks to reach.
Nonetheless, in April applicants were warned they could face delays of greater than two months.
That is as a consequence of a backlog of requests at Her Majesty’s Passport Office.
The FCDO states: “Don’t book travel until you could have a sound passport – your latest passport won’t have the identical number as your old one.”
