Foreign Office updates passport guidance after confusion
Following instances of travellers being denied boarding in error, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has clarified rules for travel to the European Union.
It has previously issued conflicting guidance for travellers which was at odds with EU entry rules.
It reiterates travellers must follow the Schengen area passport requirements if travelling to an EU country or other European nations including Switzerland and Norway.
That means validity of at least three months from the day of leaving.
It does not affect travel to Ireland.
The passport ‘must be issued less than 10 years before the date you enter.’
“You may need to renew your British passport before you travel if there’s not enough time left on it.”
The error was used by airlines including Ryanair and Easyjet as grounds for denying boarding
The FCDO advice had stated that ‘your passport may need to be less than 10 years old during your whole visit’
This mistake was used by airlines including Ryanair to deny boarding for some travellers, scuppering their holidays.
The update states: “You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.”
“These added months will not be accepted as valid for entry to the EU.”
Ray Monty
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt