If you are heading to Greece, Spain or France this summer, you need to be aware of these new passport rules and restrictions to ensure a smooth travelling experience
With summer fast approaching, Brits need to be aware of the new passport rules when heading off on holidays.
Greece, Spain and France are amongst the top destinations for Brits to visit over the summer period. It can be easy to think all you need to do is turn up at the airport with your boarding pass and passport, and you’re away. However, since Britain left the European Union (EU), it is worth checking the specific rules of the country you are heading to before you get to the airport.
Many people have fallen foul of these new rules and had their holidays cancelled, including Penny Priestly and her husband Dug, who were unable to jet out to Benidorm for a ten day holiday despite having valid passports.
Understanding travel rules and restrictions is essential to ensuring your holiday gets off to a smooth start. But with so many resources out there, it can be confusing and frustrating trying to find the most up-to-date and accurate travel advice, rules and restrictions. The Gov.uk website offers advice and information specific to each country — here are the current passport requirements for Greece, Spain and France, according to their website:
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Greece
If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
Therefore, if travelling to Greece, your passport must be:
- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’ labelled on your passport)
- Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’ labelled on your passport)
Checking your passport meets these requirements before you travel is crucial. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. If unsure, it is worth contacting the Greek embassy to fully understand if your passport meets the requirements. And, as always, renew your passport if you need to.
Spain
Spain also follows Schengen area rules. Therefore, your passport must:
- Have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
- Have an ‘expiry date’ at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area
If you have a travel provider, you can always check with them to see if your passport and other travel documents meet the requirements. It is important to remember, you will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
France
France also follows the Schengen area passport requirements. Your passport must be:
- Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’ labelled on your passport)
- Valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’ labelled on your passport)
If you do find that you need to renew your passport, it is worth remembering that new fees were implemented in April 2024. These are the current passport renewal fees:
- A standard online application made from within the UK costs £88.50 for adults and £57.50 for children
- A standard postal application costs £100.00 for adults and £69.00 for children
- A standard online application when applying from overseas costs £101.00 for adults and £65.50 for children
- A standard paper application when applying from overseas costs £112.50 for adults and £77.00 for children
Remember it can take up to three weeks to get a new passport issued, but during busier periods such as the school summer holidays, it can take longer. If ever unsure of the restrictions of the country you are visiting, whether passport related or not, it is worth reaching out to the country’s embassy — they will be able to tell you the most up-to-date information you will need for smooth travelling to your destination.
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