Those who are still using a red passport from before the UK left the EU have been warned to check it is actually still valid before using it.
When the UK left last year, a new blue passport design with the lettering ‘BRITISH PASSPORT’ was replaced the red passport that referenced being a member of the European Union.
Since 2020, those renewing or applying for a new passport has been issued the new, blue design.
However, the majority of people are still able to use their red passports if they’re in date, but they must pay careful attention to a rule change surrounding expiry dates which could catch them out.
Passports are now only valid for 10 years exactly – additional months on anyone’s red passports (passports issued before the UK left the EU ) are no longer valid. This could reduce the validity time by several months without people beng aware.
Leading travel agency Hays Travel has now issued an urgent warning to anyone wanting to travel abroad with an ‘old-style’ red UK passport.
A statement from Hays Travel said: “Important passport update changes: due to changes in validity since leaving Europe, your passport is now only valid for 10 years from the issue date on your passport.
“If your passport was issued prior to the UK leaving the EU with additional months on, those extra months are no longer valid.”
The statement, shared on social media, continues: “Example: passport issue date 21st Jun 2012, passport expiry date 21st Dec 2022.
“Your passport expiry date is now the 21st Jun 2022.
“Most countries in the EU require that your passport is valid for six months on the date of return from your holiday, some countries it’s three months, meaning the last date you could return on the above example would be the 21st Dec 2021.”
The government advises you check your passport is valid before you travel abroad.