 been ditched, you might think that your pre-trip planning needn't involve anything more taxing than deciding what factor sun cream to pack. Think again. Passport and visa problems, along with little-known entry requirements, can scupper trips even before you reach the departure gate.Here are some of the common problems that can catch travellers out.Post-Brexit passport validity requirements for travel to Europe continue to cause the most confusion. Pete Gilbey was bemused to be turned away from his flight to Split, Croatia, this summer because his passport was over ten years old on the day he travelled. Until 2018, the UK added unused time to new passports, meaning they could be issued with for 10 years and nine months. But EU rules state that passports are valid for a maximum of ten years, even if they are still valid. 'I thought the expiry date would be the date the passport became unusable. I know I'm not alone in this belief because another couple were in the same predicament at the airport and in the process of having their holiday cancelled too; easyJet told me they get about 20 a day!'The onus is on the passenger to check passport validity requirementsPAUL YEUNG/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGESHe thought easyJet should have flagged up the problem when he supplied his details online but, while airlines usually highlight the need to check passport requirements on their booking pages and in confirmation emails, the onus is on the passenger to comply, so there's no possibility of compensation if you make a mistake.● Is my passport valid for travel to Europe?As well as being less than ten years old, your passport should also have three months' validity after your return date if you're travelling to the EU. Many other countries, including Egypt, Thailand and Turkey, require six months' validity (and one or more clear pages in your passport). If you do need a new passport urgently, you may well have t){kind=link}
Now that Covid restrictions, tests and masked-up flights have (in the main) been ditched, you might think that your pre-trip planning needn’t involve anything more taxing than deciding what factor sun cream to pack. Think again. Passport and visa problems, along with little-known entry requirements, can scupper trips even before you reach the departure gate.
Here are some of the common problems that can catch travellers out.
Post-Brexit passport validity requirements for travel to Europe continue to cause the most confusion. Pete Gilbey was bemused to be turned away from his flight to Split, Croatia, this summer because his passport was over ten years old on the day he travelled. Until 2018, the UK added unused time to new passports, meaning they could be issued with for 10 years and nine months. But EU rules state that passports are valid for a maximum of ten years, even if they are still valid. “I thought the expiry date would be the date the passport became unusable. I know I’m not alone in this belief because another couple were in the same predicament at the airport and in the process of having their holiday cancelled too; easyJet told me they get about 20 a day!”
He thought easyJet should have flagged up the problem when he supplied his details online but, while airlines usually highlight the need to check passport requirements on their booking pages and in confirmation emails, the onus is on the passenger to comply, so there’s no possibility of compensation if you make a mistake.
● Is my passport valid for travel to Europe?