Brits warned they have one week to get passport in time for summer holidays
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Sun-seeking Brits have been warned they only have one week left to renew their passport in time for the summer holidays.
The warning comes as the UK passport office struggles with “unprecedented demand” for new travel documents while holidaymakers book overseas getaways once again after two years of Covid restrictions.
This rush of applications has resulted in delays of up to 10 weeks for new passports, according to the government, meaning anyone planning to travel abroad is being warned to allow extra time if they need to get a new one, Wales Online reports.
Figures from the Passport Office obtained by Co-op Insurance show that 4.5 million Brits will see their passport expire before July 18, the week that many schools break up for summer in England and Wales.
This means people planning a holiday for around this time should send off their forms by May 9 at the latest to ensure they will get their new passport in time to travel.
Anyone hoping to jet off to the continent for a European holiday this summer should also be aware that EU nations — including the popular holiday destinations of Spain, Portugal and Cyprus — have strict rules on passport validity that have already seen some unlucky Brits turned away at the airport in recent weeks.
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Passports must be less than 10 years old on the day you enter an EU country and will also need to be valid for three months after the day you leave.
This means that even if your passport expires after you plan to return, you may still be denied entry to the country if there is less than three months validity left.
If it does not meet these requirements and you are planning to travel within the area then you will need to renew your passport.
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