Helena Cartwright
It's peak holiday season, and while it's easy to get caught up with the excitement of time away in warm, sunny climates, there are some less fun but very vital things to consider before you head off.
When making sure you have all your travel essentials ready to go, it's worth taking note of this advice from Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis. Speaking on This Morning, Martin shared two important checks to make on your passport before flying.
The first one, which is to ensure your passport has least six months before expiry is more commonly known. However the second, which looks at the age of the passport, is less so – and the one Martin says 'catches people out'.
Martin explains, for residents of the UK: "There are two important checks you need to make on your passport. Now, first of all, these are the dates it's valid to, and this is crucially on the day you arrive at the country. The first check is, do you have six months left on your passport? Or three months if you're going to the European Union. If you have less than six months you might be okay, but you need to go and check the individual country requirements.
"And then there's the other one, which is the one that catches people out, which is the one I get most emails about people being turned back from the plane or turned back when they arrive at border control. Is your passport under 10 years old? So you could have six months left, but your passport be 10 years old and you can get turned back."
It didn't take long to see just how confused people are by the age of a passport and when it is ok to use, with over 100 comments from viewers flooding in on Instagram.
"This happened to me last year! Make sure your check your issue date and go 10 years from that’s date! Do not refer to your expiry date!" wrote one. "More than 10 years old?? I don’t get it ??? If it’s validated till expire date then that’s valid," said another.
This Morning presenter Alison Hammond was equally baffled, asking Martin to elaborate, he went on to explain the age of a passport in more detail. "You now get a 10-year passport, until 2018 if you were renewing your passport and it still had a year left or nine months left, you could have that added on to your new passport.
"So you'd have a passport that was valid for 10 years and 10 months, which means you could now have a passport where you've got more than six months left on it, but it's over 10 years old and they can turn you back for that. If your passport is more than 10 years old on the day you arrive you can be turned back for that as well. And it happens."
woman&home travel editor Helena Cartwright adds: "Before you book a holiday, always double-check your passport’s expiration date - it's a small detail that can cause huge problems if overlooked.
"Don’t leave it until the week before your holiday. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date, and some even deny boarding if it’s too close to expiring. If you've checked and your passport is still valid with plenty of time left, there's no need to act just yet, but it’s smart to set a reminder in your diary for when the renewal deadline is approaching. Time can creep up on you, and a little organisation now can save a lot of stress later.
"Frequent traveller? Make sure you have enough blank pages for entry stamps or visas. Taking five minutes to check these things now will save you a headache later. Don’t wait until the last minute either. Getting your new UK passport without fast‑tracking it, is much more cost‑effective.
"Standard online renewal costs just £94.50, compared with £178 for a 1‑week Fast Track or £222 for the 1‑day Premium service. Regular processing typically only takes around three weeks, but leave extra time to be safe, especially around peak holiday season.
"While typically anywhere in the EU requires three months passport validity, visit GOV.UK's travel advice for your destination country to understand its precise requirements – it can differ significantly between countries. And don’t forget children’s passports have different validity periods - it’s usually 5 years."
Helena is the Travel Editor for woman&home, Woman’s Weekly, Woman, Woman’s Own and Chat. As a journalist with 8 years’ experience, she has also worked for titles including Stylist, The Evening Standard and Heat. She is a keen traveller who loves nothing more than exploring a new country
