LIFE

The ONE passport rule parents need to know

First published on Wednesday 27 April 2022

Because you REALLY don’t want to miss out on your family holiday this summer …

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Summer is fast approaching which means you’re probably counting down the days to your family break. Especially after travel plans being put on hold during the pandemic.

But if you’re planning on travelling abroad, you’ll want to make sure you have checked one crucial thing: your family’s passports.

That’s because there's been a recent change that's already seen some families forced to cancel their holidays or being told they can’t travel. A nightmare at the best of times, let alone when you’re at the airport with your kids.

And if you need to apply for a new passport, a huge backlog in passport applications means people are having to wait up to 10 weeks (or more) for theirs to arrive – much longer than the average three-week wait before the pandemic.

To make sure your family holiday goes without a hitch, here is the passport rule to have on your radar …

What is the new passport rule?

Remember when you could travel in Europe on a passport that was literally about to expire? Yep, not anymore.

Since Brexit, there are strict new passport rules in place which means you’ll need to check the date your password was issued and when it’s due to expire.

If you want to travel in the EU or something called the Schengen Area (which includes popular holiday destinations like Spain, Portugal and Greece), the EU’s Your Europe website says that your passport must:

  • Be valid for three months after the date you intend to leave the EU country you are visiting.
  • Have been issued in the previous 10 years

What about kids' passports?

Worried your child’s passport is about to expire but not sure a new one will arrive in time? You just might be okay, says travel expert Simon Calder.

Posting on Twitter, he reassured a follower that a child’s passport is valid for travel if it has three months left on it on the day you arrive back in the UK. This is the same rule as for adult passports.

‘ALL children's passports meet the "issued under 10 years ago" test for the EU. The only test: will it have 3 months left on the day of return?’

How can I renew my passport?

It’s easy to do online at https://www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/renew . Make sure you have a digital passport photo, a credit or debit card and your current passport to hand. An online renewal costs £75.50.

You can also fill in a paper application at the Post Office which will cost you £85.

Is there a quicker way to get a passport?

Yes! If you need to renew your passport in a hurry, or if you’re applying for your child’s first passport, you can use the Online Premium service . It is more expensive though. Or you can do a one week fast track service at the Post Office.

However, even fast-tracking your application won't guarantee it comes back quickly due to HUGE demand at the passport office.

For more information call the Passport Office on 0300 222 0000.

Want more travel tips? Chat to other parents in our Netmums forum or check out the stories below.

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